Taking Over
by Artful Amanuensis
Summary: A sweet yet sassy journalist, a businessman who has a penchant for licorice and is more eruptive than any volcano, a bossy assistant, and a physical trainer who compares every girl he meets to familiar porn stars. Antipsychotics, anyone?
1. Too Small for Two

**Chapter One**

**Too Small for Two**

**o0o**

"What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" Kagome moaned repeatedly, face buried into her hands, rocking back and forth on the front step of her dorm building.

She always did seem to find herself in the middle of sticky situations. Most of middle school, she found herself to be the liaison between two of her friends in the middle of their frequent heated arguments, and wound up consistently in trouble with both of them, as well as with the teacher, as she was caught frequently for passing notes between the two. In high school, she finally ditched the effort, realizing that sometimes friendships just worked that way: they lived to argue, and were better off left to their own devices.

In high school she wound up the object of affection for nearly every shy, nerdy kid in her grade and under. She had this bad habit of taking every troubled youth she came across under her wing. They were like stray puppies to her…she couldn't help her gentle nature. So, whenever she saw one sitting by himself, or getting teased by his classmates, she would offer her friendship and cheer his mood.

This wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't flocked around her consistently afterward, causing the majority of her peers to shun her in all activities. As nice as Kagome was, she was just giving out her friendship without thinking of the consequences. She never expected any of them to stick around. She just wanted to help them get back in good spirits, until they could go on their merry way. But, once her affections had been so generously given, they were so well received that most boys mistook it for love interest, and followed her like the sick puppies they were. She then had the unfortunate task of turning down nearly all of them to every school dance. She couldn't bear having to pick just one of the many nerdy young boys as her date, so she simply did not attend any dances at all. So much for a social life….

This didn't mean that the many attractive males at school didn't notice her, however. They were sure to hit on her as well, giving her the kind of attention that she didn't really crave. One in particular actually had the gall to grope her on every occasion he could. After the first few dozen times, he received a stinging slap to the cheek. Intelligent as he was, he surely must have taken the hint. He just chose to ignore it. Eventually even one as persistent as Kagome tires, and she just gave up and decided to befriend the boy. They even ended up attending the same university: Kagome was in senior year, anxious to graduate, while he finished the year before, and was already in the working world. He owned his own business that offered courses in several forms of martial arts and combat, as well as training in meditation and spells.

The male in question was now rubbing small, comforting circles on her back… keeping his hands as far from her rear end as possible. Even Miroku knew when not to cross the line. Kagome was distressed, and he was her friend. Her best friend, in fact. He was an only child, and, lacking any companionship during his youth, he was most often in trouble. He wasn't a bad kid, no… just mischievous. Kagome seemed to understand, and had been the sister he never had for the past 7 and a half years.

He gave strict instructions to his hands, and they were cooperating nicely. Now to focus on the rocking female beside him.

"Kagome, I wish you would stop chanting to yourself and just tell me what's wrong. Surely it can't be that bad. You know I'll help you, whatever it is. So…just tell me. Please?"

Kagome raised her face from her hands and turned to face him. He smiled at her kindly, violet eyes showing nothing but warmth and comfort. What would she do without him? Taking a deep, calming breath, she relaxed slightly against him, and closed her eyes.

"I just couldn't keep my mouth shut," she said tiredly.

"I'm afraid I don't understand…" She held up her hand, and Miroku closed his mouth.

"Just… let me talk. I'll tell you, but please don't interrupt. I'll have a hard enough time explaining as it is."

Miroku nodded, his black bangs bobbing against his forehead.

"Ok…you know all that trouble I've been having with Kikyo, right?"

'_Ah, Kikyo. I knew it. Why can't that witch just leave her alone?'_ Miroku thought to himself. He sighed slightly and nodded.

Ever since they started taking classes at Shikon University, Kagome's freshman roommate had been nothing but spiteful toward Kagome. It was strange, really… seeing them meet for the first time. Miroku had been helping Kagome move in her last few boxes, when the owner of the other items in the room had appeared. Seeing the two black-haired beauties side by side, one could have mistaken them for sisters. Miroku knew better, though, and quickly noticed all the differences: Kikyo's hair was straight, compared to Kagome's somewhat untamed mane; her eyes didn't hold the sparkle that Kagome's always had, and her face seemed to never vary from the hard, piercing expression she held when he first saw her, whereas Kagome's face clearly expressed every emotion that swept through her.

Everything on Kikyo's half of the room was already meticulously put away, and when she returned to meet her new roommate, she coolly surveyed Kagome's half of the room, cluttered with sloppily packed cardboard boxes. She then turned her chilled expression to a sweaty Kagome, and an equally disheveled Miroku. Glancing them over, Miroku got the distinct impression that this woman was not going to mesh well with the bubbly, loving, somewhat hyper-active Kagome. Now, he loved Kagome dearly, and would defend her always, but he was honest enough to admit that, while Kagome _seemed_ next to perfect, she always was, and probably always would be, somewhat of a slob.

Kikyo had finished her inspection of the two, and obviously had decided that neither was up to her standards, nor worth any of her time. Just as Kagome started to introduce herself, Kikyo turned smartly on her heel, and swept from the room. Kagome's smile quickly fell, and she let her outstretched hand drop back to her side. And, as it turned out, this first meeting turned out to be the _most_ pleasant one between the two females.

Different as they seemed, both girls held many of the same talents and hobbies. Both were members of the archery club, and were considered the best the university had ever had. No one could seem to determine which girl was better, though. They always tied for top place. This only increased the immediate dislike between the two.

They were also both top of their classes. It helped that Kagome was a journalism major, and Kikyo was a business major. This kept them at opposite ends of the university most of the time, and it meant that they weren't competing for the same title: each was the perspective valedictorian of their appropriate colleges, Kagome of the Arts and Sciences College, and Kikyo of the Business College.

Things did not get better after that first year, even though the two no longer had to room together. There was still high tension. It seemed they were always being compared to one another by everyone on campus. Each girl hated the fact that her own individuality was being infringed upon.

It wasn't that Kikyo ever didn't anything truly harsh to Kagome. In fact, though she held a cold demeanor, she could be quite kind to others, and was always reasonable and business-like. She held many volunteer positions, included one at the nearby hospital, in the terminal ward, while Kagome was a volunteer in the children's ward.

No, Kikyo was nearly as compassionate as Kagome, just not as open about it. It was the simple fact that the two couldn't seem to exist in the same area together. Like…there wasn't room for the both of them, and only one could stay.

Miroku dragged his mind back to the conversation at hand. He looked attentively at Kagome's troubled brown eyes, and listened closely.

"I knew she was just trying to egg me on, and I fell for it. She just… just… she knows JUST how to get to me, Miroku!" She hit both fists on her knees in frustration. "She's always so cool, and calm, and collected…and that just gets me more and more flustered! She saw that article in the school news, Miroku. The one about my column? It made front page."

'_Ah, so that's what got her riled.'_ Miroku knew how much Kikyo hated it when Kagome did something that turned the spotlight to her self, no matter how unintentional.

Kagome's advice column was the new talk of the university. Normally, an advice column would get looked over. This time, however, Kagome helped one student solve her problems so well, that the results were covered, and placed on the front page, along with a photo of a beautiful, smiling Kagome. The anonymous writer had written a letter to Kagome's column about how depressed she was feeling, and how difficult her family life was. Kagome unknowingly offered her care and attention through her reply in her column, offering sage advice and affection. Kagome's writing had a way of letting her true gentleness and warmth shine through, making her column that much more effective.

As it turned out, the anonymous reader that Kagome had replied to was thinking upon suicide, and Kagome's attentive writing is the only thing that stopped her from ending her life. What came as a bigger surprise, was that the girl was none other than Rin, the daughter of the President of the University. Kagome's advice led her away from her current lifestyle, and closer to her father. She confessed her feelings of loneliness to her dad, told of her plans for suicide, and of Kagome's part in the matter. Needless to say, Kagome received endless amounts of attention from the big-wigs of the University after that, and was immediately famous on campus.

"Oh, she was horrid, Miroku. The whole time we were at Archery club practice she stood next to me, calmly aiming her bow, and saying all these snide comments…I've never shot so poorly in my life."

She went on about how easy it was to _write_ to anonymous readers about their problems. Then she started talking about how I would never be able to deal with people face to face. She said I was too 'high-strung' and 'emotional' to be able to truly work with anyone in person. I, of course, told her that I was perfectly capable of dealing with difficult people, and was even planning on starting a piece that would require me to shadow someone for three weeks straight, to get a feel of their life, before writing on my observations. It's part of senior project. My big final. It basically determines whether or not I graduate at the top of my class…or even graduate at all."

Kagome shook her head, and stared at her hands, wrapped around her knees. "She asked me what 'unfortunate individual' I would be following around. I told her I hadn't decided. Ugh, I should have known that as soon as she got that evil little glint in her eye, she would be up to something." Kagome thought back on the scene, as she finished telling Miroku all that had taken place.

_Kikyo stared at her long and hard, before turning back to face her target, clearing her throat and speaking again, in the same stoic voice she always used. "I suppose you'll choose someone exactly like yourself. Someone you'll find easy to get along with? Someone with no thoughts of their own." She let her arrow fly. Dead center. Perfect…as always._

_Kagome gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and answered as calmly as possible, doing her best to ignore the obvious insults Kikyo so enjoyed dishing out on a regular basis. "Actually, I was hoping to find someone totally unlike me, that would offer a new challenge…a new perspective on living, and someone who might add an edge to my writing. I need to find someone who is influential on society. It can't be just anyone, so I'm taking my time on choosing."_

"_I have someone for you." _

_Kagome lowered her bow, and turned to stare wide-eyed at the girl. 'This has to be a trick. She NEVER helps me, she wouldn't start now. The girl's as cold as a dead fish, there is no way she could possibly care about my project. What is she up to…?' _

"_He is a substantial business figure. He's the complete opposite of you, and I'm sure would prove to be a challenge."_

"_Who?" Kagome interrupted. "I've got the courage for anything. Face it, Kikyo… there's nothing you can throw at me that will even make me flinch. Who is he?" _

_Kikyo smirked. Oh, she knew Kagome was going to truly hate her when this was over. The girl wouldn't last a day with him. He'd have her running in no time, and her piece will be a complete failure. _

_Kagome saw the smirk, and inwardly berated herself. 'You idiot! Fool! She was leading you into this, and you knew it, and you ran right into it. Stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID!' While the girl mentally kicked herself, she outwardly remained poised with a polite smile on her face, eyebrows arched, waiting for a reply. _

_She was given one. _

"_Inuyasha Silver." _

_Kagome nodded, and Kikyo knew the girl had no idea who this man was, nor what she was getting into. Perfect. Kagome rose, thinking to herself, 'It won't be so bad. I'm sure he's a perfectly reasonable man. Kikyo did say he was a prominent business figure. Heck, he's probably dull, lacking in a social life, and most likely behaves in a cool business-like fashion. I could certainly handle that. What am I saying! I LIVED with Kikyo…this guy's gonna be cake.'_

She looked back up at Miroku, her tale recounted. "If I can't do this, Miroku, I fail. There will be no writing career for me, and I'll end up working at some library, shelving books that OTHER people wrote."

"Calm down, Kagome. I'm sure the man's perfectly agreeable. You're the most charming person I know… besides myself of course," he winked at her, and she rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders companionably. "Now…what did you say his name was, again?"

"Inuyasha Silver."

Miroku's face fell at the name. How did he not catch that the first time? Kagome caught the change in expression, and immediately reacted in panic.

"What? What, Miroku? You recognize that name, I know you do, now tell me what you know!"

Miroku quickly rearranged his features back to an expression of reassurance, and smiled at her, just a little bit too brightly. "Oh, nothing, Kagome. Nothing to worry about. You'll do just great. Now, did you set up when you're going to start shadowing him?"

"Yes…I called and set it up with his personal assistant this morning. I start once the weekend is out." She wasn't fooled for a second by his expression. She knew something was up, and it made her that much more apprehensive. "Miroku, if something is wrong, you better tell me now…"

"No, no! Everything's great. You'll be fine! I have total confidence in you." He squeezed her shoulder one last time before getting up, ready to head back to his car.

He walked away shaking his head, praying things wouldn't turn out as badly as he thought they might, while in his mind, a voice kept repeating, "She's screwed. She's screwed. She's SO screwed…."

**o0o**

"Sango, come here for a moment, will you?"

The young women turned her head toward the call drifting out of the office behind her. She smirked. The business woman always knew what mood her boss was in by the way he called to her when he needed her. Bad mood… heck, even _normal_ mood it's, 'Sango, get your ass in here.'

Mr. Silver was definitely in a good mood.

Shame she'd have to ruin it. She smiled and left her desk to saunter into the office.

Inuyasha Silver smirked up at her from his spot behind his desk, and she leaned on the door frame and grinned back at the sight. His feet were up upon said desk, and he was tilted back in his comfy leather chair, arms crossed smugly across his chest.

"They caved, didn't they?" she asked with a grin. She already knew the answer, but knew it would give him satisfaction to gloat about it.

"Of course they did! How could they not? I bought out each building around them for two square blocks. That building he was clinging onto was the last factory he owned, and I would have put him out of business easily. Don't worry, I offered him a deal. He won't be at a total loss. I wanted to end it well, without any threats of revenge. Not that I'm scared of him." His smirk, if possible, grew wider. "I just don't want him hurting future employees."

Sango never ceased to be amazed at the man before her. He seemed so ruthless and rash, but he really did think things through. He had horrible people skills, but was so confident and fast that it didn't really matter in most situations. He always seemed to get what he wanted. He wasn't a bully, though. He was always fair, and Sango knew there was a softer side to him. He just didn't want that to become public information.

"Well done, Inuyasha. When will you start renovation?"

"Immediately. I need you to contact all the current employees there. Let them know that there will be a job waiting for them when we reopen the building, and until then, they get paid vacation. I also want you to contact our crews and tell them to start on the plans that have been drawn up. Tomorrow. They start tomorrow morning." He smiled. "When we're finished, that section of town will no longer be the cheap ghetto it is now. And the people living in those slums will find themselves sitting on prime property with affordable rent, and living within walking distance of their jobs where they will work in a safe environment. That whole district will be the envy of the rest of the city, and Silver Industries will own all of it."

"Those people will have their lives turned around, and you to thank for it. Well done, Inuyasha. I'll send out those messages immediately."

"Thanks. And, Sango?" The woman turned back around with raised eyebrows to see him gnawing nervously at his bottom lip, eyes gazing unseeingly at his desk. "Will you check and see if he's still living there?"

She gave him a soft smile. "Sure thing, Inuyasha. I'm sure he is. Myouga was always too stubborn for his own good. He would never leave that apartment he called home for so long."

Sango knew how important the old coot was to Inuyasha. After his parents died, and he was left to fend for himself, Myouga taught him how to survive on his own.

"As soon as I send out those messages, I'm heading home. You should too. Go. Relax. You've done enough for one day."

"Just a few more things to look over and I will. Have a good weekend, and I'll see you on Monday."

Sango shook her head. He rarely went home as early as he should. No matter how hard he worked, he still stayed late. It was almost like he was avoiding returning to his apartment each night.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Oh boy, the bad news. Here's where he flips his lid. "A journalism major from the university called. She wishes to write her senior project with you as her subject. She'll be shadowing you for the next several weeks." Sango cringed at the look on his face as he immediately shot forward out of his chair and to his feet, and leaned over his desk, palms flat on the desktop.

"Damn it, Sango, you KNOW I don't like having people following me around, and I hate reporters! I'm no good talking to people, and they always end up twisting everything I say. Hell no, Sango. Call her back and cancel. I won't have some girl clinging to me every day… especially not when I'm this close to being done with this project."

"Yes, Mr. Silver, but this will HELP your people skills. Face it…you need to learn how to communicate more effectively, or everyone will continue to hold the impression that you're a hot-headed jerk who wipes people out of their businesses, and overtakes portions of the city at a time. They don't even realize all the good you're.."

"No!" He interrupted. "I don't care what they think! The _public_ can think whatever it wants, because I won't do it!"

"She won't twist things around. She's supposed to be writing on someone that is effectively changing the community. You're doing good things here, Inuyasha, and it's time people knew it. Suck it up you big baby. She's arriving on Monday, whether you like it or not." With that, she left the doorway, flipping her long black ponytail behind her.

Inuyasha glared at the spot where she stood. _'Damn her. She's supposed to be my assistant! Why is it that she's so freaking controlling?'_ He let a smirk back to his face. He admired people with guts.

The sound of the door to the outer office slamming shut reached his ears, signaling her exit. He sighed, stretched, and walked over to the balcony doors. Opening them, he immediately felt more relaxed. The night air always did that for him. He stood out on the balcony for some time, gazing up at the stars, and then down on the neighborhood he had finally conquered.

He smirked quietly to himself. He'd prove to them all…a man can change his destiny.

Maybe this journalist girl wasn't such a bad idea. She was _supposed_ to write good things about him, not twist his words around.

"Guess I'll give it a shot. This could be the perfect opportunity to tell everyone, to show them all. All those people who kicked me down and said I'd be nothing. Yeah…this'll be just perfect." He nodded to himself, left the balcony, and returned to his desk, and the stack of plans there.

As always, he didn't feel like returning to his empty apartment.

**o0o**

Ok, well…after my many one-shots, here is finally an attempt at a longer fic. Urgh, please bear with me. I was diagnosed with minor scoliosis this summer, and I'm not on treatments and realignments right now, so it's getting worse. I'm in pain at the moment, and it's hard to sit at my desk for long periods of time. Urgh…but I'm still updating, dang it.

I have another one-shot of Sess and Rin in the makings, as well as Ten Rules to finish up, and now this one to get working on. WOOO! On a roll!

Oh, and this is awesome…a LOVELY person is making a fanmanga out of The Tree and The Flower. WOOO! It's looking awesome. I'm so flattered and excited. Weee! I wish I could draw… . 

Be good, feel the love, and… review? I really need some good inspiring comments and suggestions if this story is going to take flight. You are all full of imaginative ideas, I just know it.


	2. Not a Time to be Timid

**Chapter Two**

**Not a Time to be Timid**

**o0o**

"So, are you excited?"

Kagome readjusted the phone to her ear before answering. "Ummm…I suppose you could say that."

"Ah… so you're excessively and unnecessarily nervous. I knew it."

She could practically hear the amused grin on Miroku's face. "Shut it, Miroku. I'm not nervous. I'm just… anxious. I want to get my project started. Everything will be fine."

Miroku lay back on his bed in nothing but his boxers, phone to his ear, and contemplated whether or not to warn his best friend of the man she was soon to be shadowing. He knew what a temper Inuyasha Silver could have. He'd seen it in action. Heck, he'd been on the receiving end of it numerous times in his gym. It seemed that man always had frustration to take out, and the only one at the gym capable of handling said frustration was Miroku himself. Inuyasha nearly sent two of his trainers into a coma, and the other was still recovering from a broken nose, and broken arm. Silver had always seemed remorseful afterward, but he just lost control when fighting. This was something Miroku was helping him with, but it was slow progress. VERY slow progress.

He shook the thoughts from his head and tried to refocus on the bubbly voice coming through the receiver, and not the film currently playing on his television.

"Huh?"

"Miroku, are you even listening to me?" She paused, before shrieking through the telephone, "Miroku can you turn the porn off for just _two_ minutes! Is that _so_ much to ask? Argh, that is so disgusting!"

Miroku cringed and pulled the receiver away from his ear, before hitting the mute button on his remote. "There. All better." He grinned, watching the silent movements on his television.

"Off, Miroku. Not mute."

'_How does she do that?'_ He sighed dramatically and complied. The screen went black before him. "There. Happy?"

"Grossed out, more like it. You don't watch porn while talking to a girl on the phone, Miroku. You just don't. Now, I asked whether or not we were still meeting for dinner on Tuesday night."

"Of course! I'll want to hear all about how things are going with your project. So, where did you set up to stay while you're shadowing."

"The hotel two blocks from his office building. I need to be within walking distance. Mr. Silver's personal assistant told me that would be the best place for me to stay, and I could stay for free, since they own the place."

Miroku grinned. He knew that must have been the PA's idea. Inuyasha wasn't exactly the thoughtful type of person. He'd heard some about this Sango, but nothing more than the fact that she was an excellent business woman, and had worked for Silver from the beginning.

"That's great, Kagome," he replied. "Listen, I need to get going. I have some things I need to get done around here before I leave for work tomorrow. You make sure you keep in touch and let me know everything that happens, and I'll pick you up for dinner on Tuesday. Call me and let me know where to come get you."

"Ok. You be good, Miroku."

He grinned, "I always am."

"And…Miroku?"

"Yeah?"

Her sigh reached his ear. "Put some pants on, will you?"

The line went dead and he stared at it in awe. Then he grinned smugly. _'I knew it. She's either spying on me, or she was fantasizing about me without my pants. Miroku, you stud….'_

Kagome hung up the phone, shaking her head. She turned and looked back to her suitcase full of the most professional outfits she owned. She sighed and decided she was finished before heading off to bed.

**o0o**

After checking into her hotel room, Kagome proceeded to walk down the block to the office building. Smiling widely, she hurried over to the boy she saw standing out front, camera bag over his shoulder, looking anxiously up at the large building in front of him.

Kagome approached his side and stared up at the dark windows and silver fixtures with him, before turning to look at the boy next to her.

"Ready, Shippou?"

The middle school student broke his stare with the building and nodded at her.

Shippou had known Kagome for years. She caught the tiny fox demon running away from home when he was six, one night when it was cold and rainy. She had taken him in, given him some hot cocoa, and sat talking to him until he was warm. They talked about his family life, and became quick friends. She convinced him to give his foster parents another shot, and he did. She came to visit and play with him regularly after that and their friendship grew all throughout her years in high school.

When she left for college, he was heartbroken, but she called often to talk of how things were going. She shared with him her love of journalism, and he had wanted to follow in her footsteps. That was until they found out he was a horrible writer. But Kagome didn't let him get discouraged. "Every journalist needs a good photographer," and she presented him with his first camera. When she called the school to request that he be let out of class for a day or two that week so that he could help her with a project, the teachers gladly let him. They knew Shippou would be able to keep up with his school work, and also knew that the young orphan rarely got a chance to do anything extraordinary.

"Thanks for letting me take the photos for your project, Kagome."

"Oh, Shippou, I wouldn't want anyone else taking them. Your photography skills are wonderful! I saw those photos you displayed at your school's art festival. I've never seen any so wonderful. I really appreciate you doing this for me." She smiled down into his green eyes, and tousled his rusty-colored hair.

Turning back to look at the building in front of them, she straightened her skirt, and walked determinedly toward the double glass doors of the entrance.

**o0o**

"Ugh, I should really ask for a raise if I'm going to put up with this every week," mumbled a very disgruntled Sango, cringing at the sound of yells coming from the office of her boss.

"You and me both, sister." Mr. Silver's Director of Finances stood leaning against Sango's desk, gazing with a bored expression at the doorway from which the yells emitted. Kouga had been friends with Inuyasha for years…had even roomed together in college. He was just as accustomed to Inuyasha's attitude as Sango was, and then some. "What I don't understand," he continued, "is how he expects the media to like him if he acts like, well, **_this_** all the time."

Both employees cringed as they heard another loud slam coming from the office. Sango picked up her phone and dialed. "Yes, maintenance? We're going to need another bookshelf for Mr. Silver's office…Yes, I know you just put in a new one….Yes, he broke it again….Yes, he is watching the news report….Uh huh…No, I agree, you probably should wait until he cools down. …Yes, I am still at my desk outside his office. …Yes, I'm sorry too…Don't worry, I'll be careful. He's really not as violent as you think…Uh huh, Thank you, see you this afternoon." She hung up and looked at the demon leaning up against her desk. "He doesn't want to be up here any more than we do. He's gonna come up sometime after lunch…when Inuyasha's less…touchy."

Kouga grinned wryly at the young woman before him. He had known Sango almost as long as Inuyasha, considering they were almost inseparable. Inuyasha may not have wanted to admit it, but he was extremely protective of his sister. Kouga had once made a comment on how gorgeous her body was, and Inuyasha had threatened very calmly over the soda he was drinking that if Kouga ever laid a hand on her, he would have his insides ripped out of his torso, and then fed to him through a straw.

Both of them turned their heads to the front door as it opened suddenly and stared in astonishment at the girl and the little boy before them.

Kagome looked back at them nervously. "Umm, is this the office of Mr. Silver?"

Both nodded back dumbly at her.

She smiled anxiously, "I'm Kagome Higurashi. I'm supposed to shadow Mr. Silver this week and write an article about him…." She trailed off.

"OH! Oh my goodness, I'm sorry, I forgot you were coming!" Sango finally made her way back to reality. "Yes, my name is Sango Silver, it's very good to meet you."

Kagome started. "Silver? Are you related to Mr. Silver? I didn't know that." She looked over the woman's human features in curiosity.

"Yes, I'm his sister. Well, adopted sister. I'm not hanyou like Inuyasha is. We can talk and get to know each other later." They smiled at each other, immediately liking one another.

"Oh, and this is a friend of mine who volunteered to take photographs for my article. Shippou Kitsune." The boy smiled shyly at Sango.

Kouga cleared his throat, and looked meaningfully at his co-worker.

"Oh! I'd like you to meet the Director of Finances, Kouga Ookami."

He held out his clawed hand and shook with Kagome's, noticing how tiny hers seemed to be. _'This girl seems so delicate. How in hell is she going to stand up to Silver…oh shit.'_ He'd forgotten about his boss and also about his boss's current mood. Both were brought back to his attention suddenly, however, when they heard more profanities and what sounded like the noise of breaking glass coming from the private office.

Sango shook her head, picked up the phone, and hit redial. "Yes, maintenance? Mr. Silver will be needing a new television as well…" another crash … "and chair. Yes, that news report is a rather bad one…I know. Thank you. Good day."

Kagome stared, open-mouthed at the doorway before looking back at Sango for explanation.

Sango blanched. "Miss Higurashi…"

"Kagome."

"Sorry, Kagome…Mr. Silver has been having a rough morning." Another crash. "A **_very_** rough morning. You'll have to forgive his current temperament. The media seems to be out to get him. You see he's working on this project, and it's actually a very good project, and they're making him out to be this sort of…." She trailed off, and turned around to see what Kagome was gaping at.

There, in the doorway to his office, stood Inuyasha Silver. A very angry Inuyasha Silver. A very angry Inuyasha Silver staring at the small and frightened young woman who, in turn, was staring back at him. His mouth tightened, and he cocked an eyebrow at her as if to say, _'What? Never seen a hanyou before?' _

Kagome continued to stare, getting slowly paler. She felt Shippou move behind her legs. He was certainly intimidating. Long silvery hair lay behind his shoulders, and his eyes…well, she couldn't decide whether they were amber or gold, but they were intense as well as beautiful. And perch atop his head were the cutest triangular ears she had ever seen in her life. All in all, Kagome didn't know whether to run away in fear, or drool.

She gave herself a shake. _'Come on, Higurashi, this is exactly what Kikyo wants… to prove you are a coward, and a timid mouse.'_ Resolved, she bravely stepped forward and held out her hand to the man.

"Mr. Silver, my name is Kagome Higurashi. I'm a journalism major at Shikon University, and I will be writing a piece on you."

Kouga and Sango both shook their heads. They knew that the last thing Inuyasha would want to see right now is anything having to do with journalism. Sango prepared herself to intervene and save the poor girl, but stopped upon hearing her brother's voice.

"Inuyasha."

Kagome looked questioningly at him, and Kouga and Sango merely gaped, jaws slack.

He sighed in obvious irritation. "I don't like being called Mr. Silver. That's what they call my brother. My name is Inuyasha." He shook the girl's hand and looked over to Sango. "I'm going out. I need to cool off." He patted his pockets briefly before realization spread over his features. He grimaced angrily and glared at Sango, before yanking a piece of licorice out of her desk candy dish.

"You owe me, Sango. You owe me." He glared at her a moment longer, before sticking the candy halfway into his mouth, letting it dangle from his lips absurdly.

With that, he nodded at Kagome, licorice waggling, walked calmly to the door, and exited the office.

Kouga turned to the girl in awe before getting his features back in order. "He'll be back in a few hours. Maybe you should have lunch with us, and you can talk with him when he gets back."

"Come on, we can head to our regular place." Sango picked up her coat, and turned to Kouga. "You joining us?"

"Wouldn't miss it. Let me grab my things and shut my office." He turned and walked down a small hallway to the left. Sango looked at the pair before her.

"Mr. Silver had a bad experience with some reporters this morning. Needless to say, journalists aren't exactly his favorite people right now. I apologize for that."

"Um, Sango?"

Sango looked up from her task of buttoning her suit jacket. "Yes?"

Kagome bit her lip and mulled over an appropriate way to ask her question. "The, uh…the licorice?"

Sango smirked. "I made him quit smoking. It's driving him crazy, and I keep a candy dish of licorice on my desk because I know he likes it, and it's at least _some_thing to put in his mouth."

"Ready to go?" Kouga re-entered, slipping on his sunglasses and smiling at the two women standing on either side of the little boy, who was still gaping after where he last saw the angry hanyou exit.

"Come on, we'll give you the basics of the business over lunch." Sango led the way, and Kouga followed her, holding the door for the two still behind him.

Kagome looked down at the boy. "Well, Shippou…this is off to an interesting start."

"Hey, at least we get food." He smiled up at her.

Kagome chuckled, took his hand, and followed the other two out.

**o0o**

Mreh? Ok, yeah, I know. Needs work. It'll get better. I wanna work more with Miroku…cuz he's actually funny. I hope. We'll see. But, he usually doesn't disappoint me.


	3. Katriana of the Netherlands

**Chapter Three**

**o0o**

"Those reporters don't even get close to what he's really like…what he's really doing in this business." Sango took another bite of her salad and a drink of water before continuing. "They made it out like he was planning some hostile take-over of the community. He's not. He's buying it out so he can improve conditions. He just doesn't want anyone to know he has a soft side."

The diner was a very comfortable one, and had a perfect quiet atmosphere, despite the many patrons there. They seemed to be all business people out on lunches with co-workers. The four sat at a booth, Sango and Kouga seated across from Kagome and Shippou. The little boy ate his hamburger quietly, and stayed close to Kagome, the tall wolf demon with the long black hair tied into a high tail making him nervous. Kagome ate her salad just as quietly as the boy, listening to all these two had to say about the strange hanyou she just met that morning.

Kouga looked across at the girl. "Just feel lucky that he seems to like you ok."

She looked up incredulously from her salad. "What? How could you tell that? He barely said two words to me, and was out the door!"

"Well, if he really didn't like you, he would have tossed you out on your cute little ass and we wouldn't be talking to you now."

Kagome blushed, whether from the comment on her "cute ass" or that this Mr. Silver seemed to like her, she wasn't sure. "Why would he have any reason to like me, though? He knows nothing about me!"

Kouga opened his mouth to answer,_ "Probably because you're hot," _but Sango spoke before he could let the words leave his lips. "Ok, you walked into the office. You knew he was upset, you heard the crashing, the yelling, the random profanities, and you saw him with that look on his face. That was his intimidating look. I see him use it all the time. It usually scares people witless. You, however, you heard all of it, saw the look, and yet you still sucked it up, and marched right up to him, introduced yourself, offered to shake his hand, and did it firmly and politely. I saw you, Kagome. Your hand and your voice-both firm, not all shaky like most people are when they try and approach him. And you did it on a **_bad_** day! Kagome, you impressed him. You passed the test. Well, the first part anyway…"

"First part?"

Kouga spoke up. "It never ends with Inuyasha. You don't just prove yourself and that's it. He's been crossed way too many times for that. You need to continue to prove yourself, and never cave in. And never double-cross him either. He has to trust you, and for him to trust you, you must continually prove yourself trustworthy."

Kagome sighed. _'This is going to be a lot of work. I can tell already.' _

Kouga saw her looking nervous and reached a hand across the table to cover her own. "Listen, Kagome, don't worry too much about it. You seem like a good and honest person. Just don't let him intimidate you, and you'll be fine." Both he and Sango smiled at her, and she gave a shaky smile back.

Shippou nudged her leg. "It's ok, Kagome. He didn't scare me one bit. If he ever makes you nervous, you just call me. I'm not afraid of him."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you were hiding behind my legs the whole time because….?"

He blushed. "Eh he he…backing you up?"

She laughed. "Thank you, Shippou. It's always nice to know I have someone so strong right behind me."

**o0o**

"You need to learn to focus! You can't just fly off in a rage every time! Focus on what you're doing, or you're going to end up hurting your_self_, and not your opponent!" Miroku continued to yell instructions while simultaneously dodging one attack after another.

"You do realize you're going to make yourself even more frustrated if I beat you, don't you?"

_Dodge._

"If you focus, and you bring down your opponent, you'll gain more physical satisfaction, and therefore relieve more tension."

_Dodge._

"Hmmm, I see. All this pent up tension can only mean one thing…"

He jumped back to avoid another swipe to his legs before grinning mischievously at the hanyou before him.

"You need to get laid, don't you?"

Inuyasha growled and lunged for the still-smiling sparring partner.

Miroku blocked yet another kick to the face, and swept one leg out to knock down his opponent. Not fast enough…Inuyasha flipped back, avoiding his attack.

Another dodge, two blocks, and Miroku attacked again, dodging his head to one side and grabbing the arm that swung past him. He flipped his opponent over his back, only to see Inuyasha land on his feet and strike again.

'_Well…I give him credit. The guy's got persistence. And stamina. And strength. If he'd just control it a bit more, he'd be a master.'_

"You seem more frustrated than usual today. This wouldn't have anything to do with what those reporters were saying on TV, would it? Something about you being a 'cold and heartless money-grabber, slowly taking over other small business owners to gain power and control over the city?'" He swung out and kicked again, landing a blow.

Inuyasha growled. "Shut up, will ya? You said concentrate! How in hell am I supposed to do that with your big mouth running all the time?"

Miroku chuckled and dodged another attack, before making one of his own. Inuyasha dodged.

'_Damn, this guy's fast. Hmmm….'_

"So, how do you like that lovely young college student who's supposed to shadow you for the next few weeks? Gorgeous, isn't she?"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped, caught off guard.

'_Ah, I knew that'd get him. Now's my chance…'_ Miroku nailed a kick directly to the side of Inuyasha's head, sending him across the room and into a wall.

"Holy…" He ran to the man's side. "Shit, Inuyasha, I'm sorry. Are you ok? I haven't seen you fall like that…well…ever."

Inuyasha rubbed at the back of his head, where it had hit the wall. "How the hell did you know about her?"

Miroku laughed, seeing he was alright, and held out a hand to help him to his feet. "Kagome and I have been friends for ages. She's like a sister to me."

"Great. So, what kind of shit have you been filling her head with about me."

"Relax, Inuyasha. She doesn't even know I know you yet. Besides, I know what you're really like. Sure, you're rough around the edges, but I know that deep down you have a heart like…" He thought for a moment. "Marshmallow. All soft…and squishy…and sweet…"

Inuyasha tripped him. "Just keep talking, Buddha-boy, and I'll break that pretty-boy face of yours."

Miroku smiled innocently back at him from the floor, rubbing the shoulder he landed on. "Relax, Inuyasha. I'm sure all she'll ever see of you is the tough-guy act you insist on giving. You should really tone down once in a while. You'd get more girls that way."

"Oh, you mean like what you do? Flirt and feel 'em up? Yeah, and then compare them to whatever porn star she happens to resemble? Sorry, Miroku, but I wouldn't exactly call that 'getting girls.' More like 'getting slapped.' No way am I taking advice on the opposite sex from you."

"Touché, Silver. Come on. Let's cool down and meditate for a bit. See if we can't get you a little more relaxed."

Inuyasha grumbled, but followed the trainer out of the arena and into the next room. He checked the clock on the way out. He had been gone an hour already, but knew he should probably take the man's advice. He needed to focus and calm himself before heading back, or he'd scare that scrap of a girl right out of the office. He needed to impress her and have a good report with the media for once. _'Feh…I can stay a little longer before going back. I just don't feel like messing with her today. I'll let Sango and Kouga handle her for the afternoon…'_

"Lucinda."

Inuyasha looked up to the back of Miroku's head as he followed him down the hall. "What?"

Miroku sighed. "I've got to let you borrow that tape. Then you'll see…Kagome looks just like the delectable Lucinda on…"

"Shit, Miroku! I don't want to hear it! You're one sick man, do you know that? I thought you said Kagome was like your sister!"

Miroku sighed in obvious disappointment. "Sadly, she is. That's why I haven't been able to watch any of dear Lucinda's videos anymore. It just felt too weird to see someone who looks so much like Kagome in a porn video." He smiled happily at Inuyasha. "And that's why I feel no regrets in giving them all over to you!"

Inuyasha narrowed his golden eyes in disgusted disbelief before shaking his head. "You're more twisted than I thought."

**o0o**

"You need an interview with him."

"You know how impossible that is. That bulldog of a personal assistant won't let me near him for private interviews."

"Get one. I don't care how you do it. Follow him home if you have to. Go in after that woman leaves. You know he always works much later than she does. Just get one." _Click._

Kagura hung up her cell phone, and slipped her coat on. _'Real journalists don't work tabloids. How in hell did I end up with this job?' _

Gazing out the window of the restaurant she was leaving, she saw a figure exiting the gym on the other side of the street. A figure with long silver hair.

"Perfect," she smirked, and quickly paid the bill, counted out a small tip, and left the café. She quickly crossed the road and entered the gym.

"Ouch, Kagura." Miroku didn't even look up from the screen of his laptop. "You were particularly nasty in that article, this morning. Is this because I wouldn't let you get shots of Mr. Silver's workout session?"

"We need to show our readers just how violent he truly is."

"You're supposed to be violent while working out. Men don't go shopping, or eat ice cream to relax. Well, not all the time. They like to work hard to work out their aggression. Better to fight a trained professional in a safe facility than releasing your rage in public."

"Ah, so you'd say Mr. Silver has quite a bit of pent-up rage, then?"

Miroku bit his tongue. _'Damn.' _ "Only when reporters lie and say nasty little things about him…" he quipped in a sing-song voice. He turned back to her, the tiny fake smile gone. "Kagura, you of all people should know why he bought that neighborhood. You've known Inuyasha for years, so quit playing like you're worst enemies."

Kagura leaned over his shoulder to discover what was holding his attention so well.

"Wait, are you in a chat room?"

He grinned happily and rubbed his hands together. "A global lesbian chat room." He sighed dramatically. "I love technology. You're looking at Katriana, a gorgeous 18 year old brunette from the Netherlands."

She rolled her eyes in disgust before turning to leave the building but stopped at his voice, now serious.

"You know you'd rather have that property in Inuyasha's hands than in Naraku's. Silver beat him to it, and you should be happy, not ripping him a new one in every article you write."

She looked over her shoulder at the handsome man. "I knew about his plans long before they were carried out."

His brows shot up, lost beneath his bangs. "You mean you knew, and Naraku still didn't stop him? Why not?"

"Because Naraku _didn't_ know. I never told him." And with that, she sauntered out the exit, leaving Miroku to gape after her, still trying to understand what she just told him.

**o0o**

"No, damn it, I don't want them angry. Those people haven't done anything. They keep their jobs, they don't leave their homes, and get the renovation done quickly so they can get back to work."

The following morning found Inuyasha in his office, his back to the young woman sitting before his desk, talking into his headset while gazing down at the city below his window. It was a unique piece of equipment, and Kagome found she couldn't keep her eyes off of it. While it looked like a normal headset, with a microphone extended before his mouth, the earpieces were nowhere to be found, it was simply a band that sat over his long, silver hair. But, upon closer inspection, one could make out a very tiny earpiece placed at the top of the headset, right next to one of his pointed ears.

"What?" he yelled. Kagome jumped in her seat. "How in hell did that happen? Get it fixed. Get new supplies, new tools, whatever needs replacing. And keep your eyes open. If things keep going the way they are, someone's going to get hurt. Something's going on down there and I don't like it. Watch the workers closely. Someone is there doing things they shouldn't be, and I want to know who." He pushed the button on his headset and hung up, before removing it.

He sat down wearily in his chair, talking out loud to himself. "The tools are all damaged. No big deal, we replace them. The building supplies come up missing at the warehouse before they can be delivered to the site. Ok, so there might have been a shipping mistake with the factory. Freak accidents keep happening with the builders. Something isn't right. That many things just can't all go wrong in one week. And now we start working on the factory I just bought out, only the blue-prints for the renovations are all missing…" Kagome shifted in her seat and his eyes shot in her direction in surprise. _'Forgot she was even here…'_

"Is everything o.k., Mr. Silver? Has anyone been hurt at your building sites?"

"No one's been hurt. _Yet_. Thanks to the media and that damn tabloid, The Miasma, everyone thinks I'm going to tear down half the city to enlarge my company and monopolize business. I have a feeling some of them are trying to stop me or stall my work."

"Well, if you didn't buy out half the west side of the city to tear it down and build your own buildings, then what are you doing with it?"

"Have you seen that portion of the city?" Kagome shook her head. "Well, if you had, you would see some of the worst buildings in town. People live in those buildings, work in those buildings. It's a hazard to them, and those people will never be able to climb their way out of the gutter and get a better life if they stay living and working under those conditions. They don't get paid half of what they should, and they work in dark factories day in and day out making cheap products to sell overseas. They don't have benefits, they don't get sick days or vacation… they suffer in those god-forsaken hell-holes."

"So you're tearing them down?"

"No. I'm making them better. Yes, I will own all of them, but only until I can renovate them. I will make sure that the people living there are secure in their nice jobs in those nicer buildings, and living comfortably in the apartment complexes that I now also own. And once everything is settled, that side of the city will be one of the best sites, and very valuable. Then, I will sell them off for a higher profit to people I know will take care of them. I'll be better off, the city will be better off, and the people will be better off. It's an investment of sorts."

Kagome was frantically writing down what he was saying, and when she finished she looked back up at him, amazed. "Why don't you just tell the media that? The public would love you! You'd be a hero!"

"Feh. I don't care what they think of me. I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it because it's the smart thing to do. Cheap land that is worth nothing to most people, turned into a prominent business and living district that everyone will want to buy or invest in. I just wish people would quit trying to sabotage my plans. It's costing me a fortune."

Kagome's face fell. _'Well, even if he isn't doing it for the right reasons, he's doing the right thing at least. But still…why is he so intent on keeping the people who live there?' _

"So you do think it's sabotage, then?"

"Of course it is. I have the best construction crew in Tokyo. They would never let this many mistakes happen. They're not careless…"

The phone rang, cutting him off. He leaned over and hit the speaker phone button. Sango's voice cut through, "Inuyasha, there is an urgent call from your foreman down at the new factory site."

"Put him through, Sango." The line clicked and the office filled suddenly with loud background noise and the sound of yelling.

"Mr. Silver!"

"What is it, Kan? What's going on over there?"

"There was an explosion. We're not really sure what happened. The east half of the building is totally unstable, and there are still five workers in there, trapped. We can't get to them, there are fallen beams in the way."

"Damn! I'll be down there as fast as possible. See what you can do to stabilize the rest of the building. Don't let it cave in on them. And get everyone else out, I don't want anyone hurt."

"Yes, sir." _Click. _

Inuyasha swore, and called through the door to Sango. She appeared in the doorway immediately. "I'm going to the site. There was an explosion. I've got to take care of it. Don't let any reporters in here, and call for guards to surround the factory to keep them away from the site as well." Sango nodded and immediately went into action.

Inuyasha swept from the office, grabbing a handful of licorice from Sango's candy dish, with Kagome on his heels. He whirled abruptly to glare at her.

"Just where do you think you're going," he snarled. "You sit your ass down."

"Not a chance. I'm supposed to be shadowing you. That means I follow you on ALL your business, including this." He started to argue, but growled, ferociously tearing off a chunk of the chewy candy with his teeth. He grimaced and shook his head.

"I don't have time for this. You insist on coming? Fine. But you stay out of the building, and back behind the guards with the rest of the reporters."

'_Like hell I will.'_ She thought, and followed him out to his car.

**o0o**

…I heart Miroku. Very much. sigh

So, there's chapter three. Next one gets more action. Plot demands it of me. In fact, it is holding a jagged piece of lollipop at my jugular at this moment, demanding more action. . 

Down, Plot! Down!


	4. Dirt and Darkness

**Chapter Four**

**Dirt and Darkness**

**o0o**

Kagome fidgeted in excitement as well as nervousness, darting quick glances at the man driving the car next to her. She clenched her fingers quickly, before darting her hand out suddenly to stab the radio button. Obnoxious country music blared from every speaker at eardrum-bursting volume.

Inuyasha nearly swerved off the road as he lunged to turn the radio off again.

"Oh god, you must be kidding." Kagome moaned and shook her head in disgust. "Country? You listen to country?"

He scowled, ears laid back against his snowy hair and his knuckles tightened on the steering wheel as he cried out defensively, "There is nothing wrong with country!"

Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "I would have pegged you a heavy rocker type."

Inuyasha ground his teeth together and didn't respond. She tapped her fingers nervously against her thigh and traced one idly around one of the many little sheep stickers that decorated the purple flip-pad she always carried with her to jot down notes on. "Sooo…how close are we?"

He narrowed his eyes and glared at the road as though inwardly cursing it for not taking him to his destination rapidly enough. "Not close enough."

She scowled at him and he darted a quick glance at her before muttering, "Chill out, we're almost there." She immediately sat up in excitement when a large mob came into view down the street they are on. Her excitement immediately turned into worry, though, when she saw the dust rising from the rubble that the crowd surrounded.

Inuyasha skidded to a stop behind the crowd, cursing under his breath.

"Damn it. It's worse than I thought."

Kagome looked over at him. "It's ok, you can rebuild, right?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her before as he opened the door. "That's not what I'm concerned about. There are people in there. My people." And with that, he shoved himself from the car, and made his way swiftly into the throng of people before them. Kagome grabbed her notebook and scrambled after him, trying to follow him through the crowd, weaving through the path he had made.

When she finally caught up to him he was conversing quickly with male demon in a hardhat, a vest, and covered in dust.

"Are there any workers still in there, Kan?"

"We were able to remove two more, but that still leaves three men inside." He licked his lips nervously and lowered his voice. "Mr. Silver, we think there might be a child in there as well."

"What? What do you mean a child? There aren't supposed to be any children at the site!" Kagome furrowed her brow in worry and looked anxiously from one man to the other.

"We don't know how she got there, but we could hear someone crying, and it sounds like a little girl. We can't seem to find her though."

Inuyasha growled in frustration. "What about the other three? Where are they?"

His foreman pointed, and Inuyasha took off in that direction, Kagome hot on his heels. As soon as he realized she was following him he stopped and turned so suddenly she ran smack into his solid expanse of chest. 'Oh my…like a brick wall,' she thought vaguely as she bounced backward.

Inuyasha grabbed her arms before she fell down completely and righted her. "What did I tell you, wench? Back with the rest of them. It's not safe here."

Kagome set her jaw stubbornly and glared up at his golden eyes. "Not a chance. I'm going with you."

"Like hell you are! BACK! NOW!"

"I won't get into any danger! I'll listen around the edges of the rubble for the girl, and you can go rescue the other three. Go! Time's wasting!"

She could see the wheels turning in his head and he fought over whether or not to continue the argument or just let her go. He gave up with a frustrated growl. "Fine! Just…stay on the edge of the site. Don't go digging into the debris. You don't know what is and isn't stable. It could collapse in on you." He picked up an abandoned hardhat from the ground and shoved it on her head. "And don't get your skull caved in either."

Kagome watched him race off to help the few other demon workers on the site remove the rubble from around the trapped workers before they suffocated or were crushed to death. It was a sight to see, really. His long silvery hair sparkled amid the dust and debris, and he paid no heed to the damage he was doing to his suit. She smiled a little when she noticed all the dust he had already acquired on his black suit pants and his gray button-up shirt, and her eyebrows rose at the site of his biceps straining against the long gray sleeves. '_Oh my._' She swallowed thickly and tore her eyes away from the sight. '_Get a grip, Higurashi_.' She shook her head and turned to see that there were a few other men circling the fallen portion of the building, peering into cracks and listening intently. She ran over to help look for the child.

"Hello? Can you hear me? Is there anyone in there?"

She leaned in beneath fallen beam and listened for a response to echo from the shadows. Hearing none, she moved on a few feet and knelt to the ground, peeking into what appeared to be a pit dug beneath the building. She called again into the darkness of the hole. "Hello? Is someone down there?" She could just make out a distant sniffling noise. "Is someone in there? We're here to help, but we need to figure out where you are so we can come get you! Talk really loudly, ok?"

A loud sniffling noise responded before a small voice called back, "Help me! Please! I'm stuck!"

Kagome scrambled anxiously into the gap in the fallen blocks and squinted into the hole. "Are you in this hole? Are you injured?"

"Yes, I'm down here! There's a rock on my leg! I can't get it off. And I'm cold, please help me!"

Kagome shuffled backward from beneath the gap and looked around the site. All the men were working on moving a large chunk of building, and she could see two of them dragging out another worker. Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen, and she could only assume he was in the wreckage somewhere, trying to find his other workers.

She crawled back in next to the hole. "They're helping some of the others get out, but don't worry, they'll come get you shortly! I promise."

"Please don't leave me! I'm scared!"

Kagome smiled softly at the tiny voice. "It's ok. I'm not going to leave you." She bit her lip. '_Keep her talking. That will make the time pass more quickly._'

"What's your name?"

"Suki."

"Oh, Suki, that's a lovely name. My name is Kagome. How old are you Suki?"

"I'm five."

"Five! How nice! Suki, how did you get in here? You probably shouldn't have been playing at the site."

She sniffled and let out a small sob. "I wasn't playing here. I was put here."

Kagome frowned and crawled closer to the edge of the hole. "Put here? By who?"

"I don't know. I was playing at the park, and then someone grabbed me, and put something over my mouth. And then…and then I woke up here." She sobbed. "I'm scared. I want my mommy."

Kagome made soft shushing noises and longed to reach out and hold the little girl. "It's ok…it's ok, we'll get you out of here and to your mommy soon, I promise." She bit her lip and crawled more closely to the edge of the hole, so that she could peek over it. A thin shaft of dust-filled light fell to the bottom of the hole and Kagome could just make out a small child, black hair grayed with dust, and tear streaks running through the dirt on her round cheeks. She peered more closely and saw that a large cement block had fallen onto the girl's right ankle, and she could see the swelling even from her vantage point.

"Suki, I'm not leaving you, but I'm going to crawl back out and see if the others can come help you out yet, ok?"

The girl sniffled and wiped a hand across her face. "Ok."

Kagome smiled warmly at her once more before slowly making her way backward out of the tiny gap she had crawled into.

The ground shifted. Screams and yells broke out and she froze in her spot as random shouts of "The foundation is shifting, move away from the site!" reached her ears. _'Oh no…the girl.'_

"Kagome!"

She could hear her name being yelled from behind her.

"Kagome, damn it, where are you?"

"Mr. Silver! I'm over here! I found the girl!" She started to move backward again and froze when she felt the ground beneath her shift again. _'Oh no…'_ And suddenly she was falling. Her hardhat was quickly knocked from her head, and she braced herself, rocks and dirt skidding downward with her, dust stinging her eyes so that she shut them tight. She felt herself hit solid ground, and covered her head as more rocks caved in around her and pelted her body painfully. When it all seemed to still again, she carefully attempted to open her eyes, allowing them to tear up, and wash away the dirt that had made its way past her eyelids. It was no use anyway; everything was dark.

'_Perfect. Just perfect. Way to go, Kagome. Your first day of action, and what do you do? You get trapped beneath a collapsed building.'_

She did a mental check for injuries, but found only a few sticky spots, blood most likely, and several tender areas of flesh. _'Ugh, I'm going to be black and blue. If I ever get out of here, that is.' _

A sudden shifting of dirt to her right reminded her of the reason she had fallen to begin with. _'Suki!'_

She lunged for the moving dirt, and clawed her way through it, reaching desperately for a limb or body. Her hand closed around what felt like an arm. _'Arm or leg, I'm not picky.'_ She pulled gently but firmly and felt a hand grab onto her forearm as she finally removed the child from her dirt-filled grave. When her head became free she coughed violently, trying to dispel the dust and filth from her mouth and throat.

Kagome pulled her closer and held her as her chest heaved, grateful for air. Her eyes were closed, and there were gashes covering every bare expanse of skin. Her matching pink shorts and top were covered in filth, her lip was split and bleeding, and her hair filled with clumps of dirt, but she was alive. The only major injury seemed to be her right ankle, which was clearly broken.

The rocks above shifted, and more dirt fell down. She shielded the child's body with her own as the rocks pelted her once again.

"Kagome! Can you hear me?"

"Mr. Silver! I'm down here!"

She heard him curse loudly, and saw his head pop into view against the small gap of sky above her. "Didn't I tell you to stay out of the site? Damn it!"

'_Yeah…guess I deserved that.'_ She cringed, closed her eyes and awaited further lecture.

"Are you ok?" Kagome's eyes popped open in surprise at the concern evident in his voice.

She swallowed and looked up at his silhouette. "Yeah…yeah, I'm ok. And I have the girl. She's right here in my lap. I think her ankle is broken, and she isn't conscious, but she's breathing, and I think she'll be ok."

He nodded. "Ok. Cover yourselves, I'm coming down to get you."

Kagome held the girl closer to her chest, and bent forward over her body. "Ok! I'm ready!" She heard rocks slide to her left, and felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned in surprise to see Inuyasha kneeling next to her, a clawed hand resting on her left shoulder.

"You alright?"

Kagome swallowed and nodded. He started to rise but she grabbed at his hand as it began to leave her shoulder. "Mr. Silver?"

"Inuyasha."

She nodded. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I just…I just couldn't leave her alone. She was scared, and…I was coming out to call you over to help her and…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause more trouble. I should have listened to you."

He glared at her, but she could tell that his irritation wasn't as deep as he made it out to be. "Yes, you should have." His gaze drifted to the girl in Kagome's lap. "But I understand. It wasn't your fault the ground gave way. The explosion must have collapsed some of the pipes beneath the foundation. When they collapsed, the ground gave way too. It wasn't your fault. Let's just get you two out of here."

She gaped at him, and he glanced down at her worriedly. "What are you looking at?"

"I just…I thought you'd be more angry. I thought…I thought you'd yell at me more."

He snorted. "Yeah, well, I'll save that till after we're outta this mess. Don't worry…I'm not done with you yet."

She winced. "Oh. I was afraid of that."

He leaned over and scooped the girl from her arms. "I'm going to take her up first, ok? Stay still, and cover your head again."

She did as instructed and heard him grunt slightly behind her. When a loud thump resounded next to her a few moments later, she looked up sharply. "How on earth did you do that so quickly?"

Inuyasha reached a hand down to help her up and grinned cockily. "I'm half demon. I can jump higher than you puny humans can."

She took his hand and he pulled her abruptly to her feet. So abruptly, in fact, that she fell forward once again into that wonderfully solid chest of his, and found herself enjoying the experience immensely. _'Mmmm, it's nice to be back again. We should really visit more often.'_ She lifted her eyes upward and blushed when she realized exactly whose chest she was currently nuzzling, and blushed even harder when she found the owner of said chest staring down at her strangely.

"Umm…"

She sighed inwardly as his chest vibrated with the noise. _'Mmm…nice.'_

She felt his hands gently grip her arms and lift her. "Woah!"

He rolled his eyes. "I need to lift you in order to carry you out of here. I'm pretty sure you can't climb out on your own, so it's easiest for me to just jump."

She blushed even hotter and nodded quickly before wrapping her arms about his neck.

"Ok…hang on, and close your eyes so you don't get dirt in them."

She felt his body lower and tense, and suddenly it sprung upward with a speed that startled her. She gasped and ducked her head into Inuyasha's neck. She felt him hit solid ground again, and sighed with relief.

She stayed still and reveled in the comfort of the moment before the clearing of a throat reached her ears. Her eyes shot open to reveal her nose embedded into aforementioned throat. It cleared again, and she could make out a slow flush creeping its way up from the unbuttoned shirt color, until it gradually covered the entire neck. She watched it in fascination as it moved upward, over a finely chiseled chin, perfect nose, and she stopped suddenly when she was finally facing a pair of wide, golden eyes. They were currently staring at her in confusion and embarrassment and Kagome realized, quite belatedly, that she was still in the arms of one very handsome hanyou.

She squealed suddenly and scrambled so frantically that he dropped her.

"Owww…" Kagome rubbed at her bruised behind and looked up at the half demon angrily. "What did you drop me for?"

He shifted uncomfortable and crossed his arms over his chest. "You started flailing all about! What was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to set me down nicely!"

"I tried! You were clinging to me like a damn koala or something!"

Kagome blushed hotly and yelled back. "Well you were the one who scooped me up to begin with. Without asking!"

"Well you were the one who fell down the hole, and needed me to come rescue you! And you didn't even thank me for it, ya ungrateful bitch!"

Her eyes flared in angry and she had just taken a large breath to scream back at him when she noticed that there were people gathered around them, watching and listening. Many people. Many people with cameras. And microphones. And bright flashing lights.

She lowered the finger she had been pointing angrily at him, and instead used the hand to push herself up off the ground. "Umm…right. Thank you."

He 'humphed' and looked away in embarrassment, mumbling what sounded like a "You're welcome."

The awkward moment was thankfully broken when Kan reappeared at Inuyasha's side. "Sir, I think you should come take a look at this." Inuyasha noted the worried look on his face and followed him quickly to the ambulance, Kagome fast at his heels. They arrived to see two EMT's standing outside waiting for them.

Kan nodded to one, and the man stepped forward. "Mr. Silver? The little girl we found at your site…"

"Suki! I nearly forgot! Is she ok?"

The man nodded at Kagome. "Yes, she's fine. She'll need a cast for her ankle, but other than that, it's just scrapes and bruises." He turned back to Inuyasha. "But, we found something peculiar when we were looking her over for other injuries." He glanced around at the many reporters being restrained by only a few police officers. "I think you should step up here and see this."

Inuyasha and Kagome followed him into the back of the squad, crowding onto one side of the stretcher, with the EMT on the other. Kagome looked down worriedly at the girl before her, and grasped the tiny hand gently.

The EMT lifted up the little girl's shirt, and she gasped. Inuyasha leaned forward, and read what was written across her torso in large black letters. "This child could have been killed in your project. Perhaps you should pay more attention to the safety of those you are supposedly trying to help."

The letters were written in bold black marker, and Kagome ran a hand gently over the girls stomach. "She was kidnapped…from the park. She was there playing, and someone knocked her out and placed her on the site. And then…"

"They blew it up." Inuyasha clenched his fist. Those bastards. How much do you want to bet that every reporter out there knows that a little kid was hurt in the accident too? Now the whole city will be after my head."

He pounded a fist into his thigh. "Damn!"

Kagome squeezed the child's fingers one last time before stepping out of the ambulance and sat down shakily on the curb. Reporters shot questions at her frenziedly, but she let them muddle into a steady background murmur as she waited for Inuyasha to exit the ambulance. When he didn't appear she started back for the vehicle, but froze outside the open back doors. Inside she could see him gently lift the hem of the girl's shirt, and slide it back into place. He stared down at her face and mumbled something to her before stepping quickly from the vehicle and striding rapidly toward his car.

Kagome couldn't hear exactly what he said, but she could swear she read his lips.

"I'll find out who did this to you. I promise."

**o0o**

Sooo, I didn't even read this one over before posting it. I'll get to that later. I just wanted to feel good about myself and post updates for any of my fics that required updating. I'm SOOOOOOOO tired. Stupid work. Stupid school. Stupid…schoolwork.

So, I would just like to say…I love you. Each of you. I want to make personal little notes to each and every one of you. And I will…next chapter. When I'm not half dead.

But you have to know…I love you. My love for you…is like diarrhea. I just can't hold it in.

Seriously.

Anyway, next chapter…more Miroku. And Inuyasha anger. I missed his anger in this chappie. He was too nice. He needs more fits of rage, dang it. Oh, and some good Kouga flirting, and Sango and Miroku should meet. Yeah…yeah, that sounds nice. We'll do that. That's always entertaining.

And keep your eyes peeled for a one shot coming out…it's going to be good times…once I actually start it.

Feel the love, and please review? With…words of inspiration? I need all the help I can get. Muah.


	5. Inuyasha: Almighty Cockroach Conquerer

**Chapter Five:**

**Inuyasha: The Almighty Cockroach Conqueror**

**o0o**

"Quit being such a baby and try it."

"I'm not being a baby, I just don't want to."

"Do it. You know you want to."

"Ha. Says you."

"Come on, I know you can't resist."

Inuyasha dangled the twisted rope of black candy before the young woman in front of him, who cringed in disgust and leaned back in her chair, avoiding the swinging candy.

"Just the smell of it makes me want to gag."

"Don't knock it till you've tried it. So suck it up, and take a chance."

Kagome sighed in resignation and swiped the candy from his grasp irritably and held it before her nose in inspection. She eyed the hanyou grinning before her, before grimacing and tearing a large chunk of the licorice off in her teeth. She chewed it, and quickly began to gag. Her face screwed up in disgust and she drew her mouth back in a wide grimace before she finally lost control and let the contents of her mouth spray outward.

When she finally opened her eyes, the sight before her made her want to shut them again, only this time in fear and embarrassment. Inuyasha sat before her on the edge of his desk glaring in open fury. Tiny bits of chewed up black licorice stuck to his face, and dangled from his hair in drips of grayish saliva. One particularly large chunk was making its way slowly down the length of his nose, leaving a hideous trail of gray slime behind it, like a rather disgusting slug.

Kagome reached into her purse and pulled out a Kleenex, timidly offering it to the half-demon, who scowled and deliberately plucked it from her fingertips.

The door slid open partially, and Sango slipped her head in. She took a look at Inuyasha, who was cleaning is face off in disgust, before turning to Kagome. "Phone call for you." She looked at the irritated hanyou once again before adding, "Um, you can take it out here, if you like."

Kagome jumped at the opportunity to escape and practically ran past Sango and out the door. Sango closed the door behind her. "What happened to him?"

She blushed. "Um…I think you need to get a new type of candy for your candy dish, Sango."

The woman nodded slowly. "Riiiight. Yeah, the phone's right there, line two."

Kagome picked up the receiver, pressed the appropriate button, and cheerfully greeted whoever it was that had saved her from her embarrassing little episode back there.

"Hello?"

"'Gome!"

"Miroku! How are you?"

"I'm as peachy as ever. I was calling to see if you wanted to do lunch today. My treat."

"I would love to! When and where?"

"There's a nice deli two blocks from where you are. How about I drop by the office, and we can walk there together? One sound ok?"

"One o'clock is great. Do you know where the building is?"

"Yep, but which floor will you be on? That place is huge."

"The twenty-second. Top floor. Just head into the lobby area of Mr. Silver's office and Sango will let me know when you arrive."

"You got it. See you in a about an hour, 'Gome."

"Can't wait!" She replaced the receiver, and after informing Sango of her plans, and her coming visitor, she bit her lip, sucked up her courage, and slowly creaked open the door to Inuyasha's office again.

The hanyou was perched on the edge of his desk, searching the polished wood floor frantically with his eyes. He reached an arm out past his computer and grabbed the potted plant by its top, lifting it off the ground. He peeked under it, and let it thump back to its position on the floor, and began scanning the floor once again.

He looked rather ridiculous, actually. His brown shoes beneath his khaki colored pants squeaked slightly against his desktop when he shifted directions, and his dark green button-up shirt was un-tucked with the top button undone. His tie, long forgotten, was hanging on his desk lamp, and his shirt sleeves were unbuttoned at the cuffs and rolled up to his elbows, revealing finely muscled forearms.

Kagome bit back a grin when he kneeled on the desk top and bent forward to peer beneath his desk, sticking his tush high into the air, his long silver hair nearly sweeping the floor.

She got on her toes to get a better view. _'Wow, he has a fantastic ass.'_

He shot upward suddenly with a yell of triumph and Kagome jumped back with a yelp. Her cry startled the hanyou so badly he nearly fell off his perch, but he maintained balance and motioned for her to turn out the light switch next to her.

"What?"

"Shhhhhh!" He flapped a hand to silence her and whispered, "Just…turn it off! And when I say to, flip it back on again."

He gained a better position and readied himself to spring. Kagome shook her head and flipped the switch, putting them in darkness, save for the beam of light that came from the outer lobby through the open door she was standing in.

She heard him whisper again. "Get in here and shut the door!"

She did as asked, fidgeting nervously. Somewhere in that dark office was a slightly neurotic half-demon, and she was alone with him. Alone. In the dark. Neurotic male. Really, really sexy neurotic male. The possibilities were truly endless.

"Now, Kagome!"

She jumped slightly, "What?"

"The lights, you idiot, now! Turn them on!"

She groped around the wall for the switch, found it, and flicked it on.

"Yaaarrrghhh!" With a war cry that would put the Scottish highlanders and attacking Vikings to shame, Inuyasha leapt from the desk in her direction.

Kagome yelped, turned and covered her eyes, cringing against the door frame, and she felt the floor tremble when he landed.

"HA! You stupid bastard, thought you could outsmart me! Got you now!" He crowed, and Kagome turned to peek through her fingers at him, only to find him doing a victory dance in the middle of his office.

He stopped dancing momentarily with an impressive spin that ended with him leaning down and pointing at the floor in victory. "Bet you thought I wouldn't find you, didn't ya! Shows what you know! I will always be smarter, better, and faster than you."

He kneeled down on his hands and knees and looked at the black smudge before him. "And do you know why that is? Do ya? It's because I know your secret weakness. See, you cockroaches are all the same…lights go out, and you run and play, but as soon as they're on, you scurry for safety. So, all I gotta do is get the lights out, and you come back out again and WHAMO, lights are on, and I stomp you to oblivion before you can disappear again."

He jumped to his feet and did the Running Man, chanting to himself. "That's right, I killed you, I killed you, you filthy creature from Hell!"

Kagome inched her hand back toward the doorknob, anxious to be rid of the deranged presence in front of her. He caught the small movement and froze, mid dance step. He stared for a moment, obviously having just remembered her presence in the room, before he brought his arms slowly back to his side, and turned on his heel to go sit in his desk chair, a slow blush crawling its way onto his cheeks.

Kagome, seeing that the episode was over, swallowed and moved over cautiously to inspect the little black smudge that still resided on his polished wood floor.

She cleared her throat. "So…you got it, I see."

He leveled a small glare at her. "Sneaky little bastard has been plaguing me for the past two weeks."

She moved to turn toward the door. "I'll just go get the broom and sweep him up."

"No!" She froze at the shout, and turned to look at him. "Leave it. That way, when his little friends come out tonight, they'll see his corpse and hightail it in the other direction. If I'm lucky, maybe they'll go party in Kouga's office for a while instead."

Kagome nodded like one would nod at a mental patient, or at a small child who insisted that the purple anteater who resided in his closet was haunting him until he set fire to the ugly drapes in his grandmother's living room.

He narrowed his eyes at her.

She cleared her throat. "So…bout lunch time. A friend of mine is coming to take me out to lunch, care to join us?"

He eyed her doubtfully. "Male or female friend? Because I don't want to sit there listening to two females jabber away all through my lunch break."

"Oh! Male! He's practically a brother to me. I haven't seen him for a week now, and he owns a training facility not far from here."

Inuyasha froze from playing with the little Rubix cube that sat on his desk. "What's his name?"

They both turned to the door when they heard a loud shout echo from the lobby, followed by a slapping sound.

"Hentai!"

"You misunderstand!"

They both rolled their eyes simultaneously and muttered, "Miroku." Kagome shot him a startled glance. "You know him?"

Inuyasha grimaced. "Unfortunately." He sighed and shook his head, standing up from his desk. "Better go save the poor bastard before Sango rips him to shreds."

When they entered the lobby area Sango was seething in rage, and Miroku was rubbing his cheek sheepishly. Kouga was leaning against the wall and grinning.

Miroku caught sight of Kagome and grinned. "Kagome! I was just getting to know Veronica, here."

"My name is Sango!"

"Oh, my apologies, Sango, it's just that you look so much like…"

"I don't care what porn star you think I resemble, my name is Sango, and I swear, if you touch me again I will chop of your hands and use them for paperweights!"

Inuyasha snickered, and Kagome elbowed him sharply. He glared at the back of her head as she stepped forward to try and bring peace.

"So," she chuckled nervously, "I see you two have met. Um…who's up for lunch?"

"'Gome!" Miroku picked her up in a hug, spun her around, before landing her on her feet again, planting her cheek with a loud, smacking kiss. "Missed seeing that gorgeous face of yours!" He looked up at the glaring hanyou behind her before peeking back at her. "And how's it been, working with Mr. Grouchy Face over here."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and Kagome giggled. "It's been interesting, to say the least. But let's talk more over lunch. I'm starving." She looked over at the others. "Would you all like to join us?"

She made a pleading face at Sango, who reluctantly agreed, and they made their way to the elevators. As the doors closed, the lobby echoed with another slap. "Other side of the elevator or you take the stairs!"

**o0o**

Kagome nudged the man next to her as she forked in another bite of her salad. "Why didn't you tell me you knew Inuyasha?"

Miroku grinned. "If I told you, you would have asked about him, and I didn't want to scare you. Ow!" He rubbed at his shin under the table and sent a hurt look at Inuyasha. "What was that for?"

He simply rolled his eyes and continued with his sandwich.

The group sat at a large booth next to the large deli window facing the street, Kagome between Miroku and Kouga on one side, and Inuyasha on the other, with Sango next to him, as far away from Miroku as possible.

He looked up at Inuyasha. "So…I read the papers this morning."

Inuyasha looked at the man across from him. "And?"

"Well, they all had your explosion site on the front page, most along with a picture of the little girl being returned to her mother. Almost all the papers were very gracious, actually. Mentioned your heroic efforts, how you saved your workers, Kagome, and the little girl single-handedly, blah, blah, blah." He laughed suddenly. "One had a huge shot of you holding Kagome in your arms, standing amidst a large pile of rubble. I've never seen a more heroic picture. I nearly wet myself laughing."

Kagome spat her drink back into the glass she was sipping from and Inuyasha nearly choked on his food before he managed to swallow it, blushing furiously. "I sense another part to this story. Get on with it."

Miroku leaned back. "The Miasma had a shot of the little girl, pretty torn up, being loaded into the ambulance. It went on and on about how your work sites are unsafe, how you should be stopped…the usual."

Inuyasha sighed. "Tell me something new."

"It said the owner of the paper was encouraging the injured workers and the mother of the child to file lawsuits. He's personally paying for their lawyers."

"Damn it. That bastard." He looked to Kouga. "I know you're not normally in charge of this, but my PR manager went on maternity leave two weeks ago. Can you handle this?"

Kouga nodded and stood. "Sure, I'm finished, so I'll head back to the office now and get a hold of our lawyers, and see if I can't talk to the injured workers as well."

Inuyasha nodded grimly. "Thanks."

Kagome shifted uncomfortably. "But…but you saved them all. I don't understand."

"That's what money does to people, Kagome." Sango shook her head sadly. "It doesn't matter whether or not the accident was his fault, or whether or not Inuyasha saved them…they'll look out for themselves and that's that."

Inuyasha sighed. "We don't know that for a fact. The paper said that they might sue. And just because Naraku offered to pay for the lawyers, doesn't mean they'll use them. Let's just…wait and see. Maybe Kouga can handle it."

Kagome looked down at her plate. "I wonder how Suki's doing."

"She's still in the hospital downtown for some broken ribs and concussion. They want to keep an eye on her for a bit."

She looked up at Inuyasha in surprise. "How do you know all that?"

He glared at her. "What, you think I don't care? She was hurt at _my_ work site!" The guilt he felt was obvious.

"But…it wasn't your fault." He just turned away from her to glare out the window at passing cars. Kagome swallowed. "The…the hospital is only a few blocks away. Do you think we could go visit her?" She looked at him hopefully as he turned back to face her. He gave her a silent nod and slid out of the booth when Sango stood to allow him passage. Kagome slid out as well, and Miroku followed.

Inuyasha turned to Sango. "We'll be back in an hour or so. Could you go back and help Kouga with those calls? See if you can't smooth things over."

Sango nodded. "I won't have to, you know. Your workers are loyal to you. They know something fishy is going on, and they know it's not your fault. Everything will be fine."

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah…I know. But could you go back and make sure?"

She smiled at him and patted his shoulder affectionately. "Of course. That's what I'm here for."

"Thanks." He turned to Kagome. "Ready?"

She smiled. "Yep, let's go." They strode out of the deli, leaving Sango to gather her purse. She turned to pick it up and came to an abrupt stop when she saw Miroku holding it out to her, a large grin on his face.

She groaned. "Oh no. Forgot about you."

He smiled dashingly. "Alone, at last! Don't worry, I shall escort you back to your office, sweet Veronica…I mean Sango."

She scowled at him and turned to leave. He swept up beside her, reaching out to put an arm around her waist.

"Touch me, and I throw you into traffic." She kept walking.

He smiled dreamily, looking after her. "It's ok…the view from behind is better anyway." He sighed at the sight of her swaying hips, and scurried after her.

**o0o**

A/N:

Sooo, another chapter. Wooo. I just wanted to thank you for your reviews. Seriously.

This is really anxious work for me, because I have a phobia of any stories longer than a one-shot. I fear being unable to finish one, or having it turn out a flop, or…I dunno, I just fear writing them in general. I also fear writing A/U's. So, eeep. But your reviews really help a lot, and I love you for them. Please…do send more. They help me greatly, no lie.

Mmm, to answer questions, no, Kagome's not a miko…I don't think. Yes, Shippou will make more appearances. He's in school, so he can only come work with Kagome once a week or so. Yeah. . The girl, and who put her there, will be explained in the next chapter.

Thank you Pyro for being my lucky seven, and Tenma…all that "mushy shit?" Right back at ya. lol

Sidenote, I finally wrote the one-shot I've wanted to write for a while now. Hope it turned out ok. War of the Cliques! Woooo! Look it over, and give me some tips on how to make it more humorous. I'm not a very good humor writer. But I'm learning and trying. Let me know how I can improve!

I love you. You make me feel fuzzy…like a chinchilla.


	6. A Pink Cast

**Chapter Six:**

**A Pink Cast**

**o0o**

"You can't be serious."

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'What'? That's stealing!"

"Is not! They're free."

"Free for them, not for you!"

"Will you keep the shrillness to a minimum? Geeze, people are staring."

"Good, then they can join me in watching you put them back."

"I'm telling you, they're free!"

They stared each other off for a moment, the rest of the hospital lobby looking on. An elderly woman wearing a large, floppy purple hat leaned over to the tattooed teenager seated next to her and whispered into his pierced ear, "1000 yen on the girl."

He eyed the two, sizing them up, and grinned, the silver ring in his lip glinting. "You're on."

Kagome shot a nervous look down the hallway where the head nurse had disappeared. "Seriously, Inuyasha, put them back!"

"No."

"Now!"

"Hell no."

"They're going to notice, you know."

"No they won't."

"You took ALL of them! They'll notice!"

"They're free."

They glared again, each waiting for the other to back down.

The glare went on, and the intensity grew, and neither blinked or moved. And then, Kagome gave him 'The Look.' Every woman is born with the secret knowledge of how and when to use 'The Look,' and no man can stand under its pressure. While men normally had superior physical strength, women did still have this one great defense.

"Damn it! Fine!" He shoved his fist into his pocket and pulled out the handful of assorted pens, slapping them onto the desk in front of him.

He looked at them longingly. "Everyone knows that drug pens are free!"

"Free for the people that are actually getting the drugs…like hospitals and pharmacies."

He grumbled and looked down the hall way, arms crossed over his chest. "Damn. Drug pens are my favorite. They have the coolest designs. Lucky hospital people." He eyed her narrowly. "You'll pay for this."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll buy you a whole box of pens. Really cool ones. That click a lot."

He grunted and eyed the shiny green one on the desk. "It won't be the same."

"Geeze, you're such a baby."

Across the lobby, the teenager handed his bet grumpily to the smirking elderly lady next to him, grumbling, "She should be disqualified. I can't believe she used 'The Look.' That's so below the belt."

"Shut up and pay up," The woman replied.

The head nurse returned and nodded to the pair at the desk. "Yes, you have permission to visit. Take the elevator up two floors and it's the third room on the right."

Kagome thanked her, and Inuyasha nodded before they both made their way to the third floor.

Kagome knocked on the open door gently before stepping into the room, Inuyasha trailing in after her, looking uncomfortable and out of place. At the sight of Kagome, the little girl's eyes immediately lit up.

"I remember you!"

She smiled. "I remember you too, Suki. We came to visit you."

Suki looked over to Inuyasha and immediately her grin widened. "You! You're the one who saved me! Momma says so."

The woman in the chair by the window stood and bowed to them both. "You both saved my little girl's life. I cannot ever repay your kindness."

Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other briefly before turning back to the woman. "So…you're not going to sue me?"

The woman looked alarmed. "Of course not! I know that it wasn't your fault." She frowned and blinked back tears, shaking her short black hair in anger. "She was kidnapped. I was watching her in the park and…and…she was playing tag and having fun and I turned my head to talk to one of the other mothers and when I looked back…she was gone."

She looked down at her feet before continuing. "I blamed myself, at first, thinking she had run off. But she told me, later…how she was kidnapped. And I believe her. My little girl wouldn't lie to me, nor would she run away. And…" she bit back a sob, "I saw what was written on her body. She…she could have been killed, all to hurt you and your cause."

Inuyasha looked guilty at this and whispered quietly, unable to look the woman in the face, "I'm sorry."

She looked up at him sharply, tears in her eyes. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare blame yourself." She calmed herself visibly, and turned to look out the window behind her, staring into the distance. "My husband and I have worked hard all our lives, trying to provide a comfortable home for our children. Suki is our youngest, and she is the only one of our children who has not known poverty, and poor living conditions…thanks to you, Mr. Silver."

She turned and walked directly in front of Inuyasha, who froze and stared at her, wide-eyed. "The very first project? The tiny little apartment building right next to that old metal factory? Do you remember it?"

Inuyasha nodded.

"We lived there. My husband worked there, and I…I tried to keep our apartment from falling apart, and worried day and night about being robbed, mugged, raped, or attacked. Until you came, and you fixed it all. We owe you our lives, and our happiness." She looked to the bed, where her daughter was laying and watching cartoons on a mounted TV in the corner. Her tiny leg was propped up, covered in a bright pink cast, and she was propped on pillows, her small broken ribs wrapped tight, small scratches and bruises visible on her face and limbs.

She dashed away a tear that tumbled down her cheek, and kept her eyes locked on her precious youngest daughter. "And now…we owe you for the life of our daughter."

Inuyasha blushed and shuffled his feet, scowling. "You…you take care of her. And we'll call it square."

The woman smiled and nodded to him, more tears evident in her eyes. She shifted her gaze to Kagome. "You're the one she keeps talking about, aren't you? The one who found her, and pulled her from the dirt?"

Kagome smiled. "I'm Kagome. It's very nice to meet you. I'm glad to see Suki is ok."

The mother clasped her hand. "Thanks to the two of you she is." She gestured over to her daughter. "I'm sure she'd love to talk with you. I'm going to get some coffee, you two are welcome to stay and visit."

"Thank you." Kagome walked over to the bed, and sat in a chair next to the girl, while Inuyasha stayed next to the window, looking out in thought.

"How are you feeling, Suki?"

The child smiled. "Much better than I was! It doesn't hurt so much to breathe, now that they have me wrapped so tight. I just have to take smaller breaths, like the doctor said, and it doesn't hurt nearly so much!" She took in a few small breaths, letting each one out gently in demonstration. "See? Oh, and look!" She pointed to her cast. "They gave me pink!"

Kagome smiled and moved to sit on the foot of the bed, looking at the cast. "Well, look at that. You have signatures on here!"

She smiled. "Yep, some of my friends came to visit, and my doctor and some nurses signed it too! She reached a hand to the stand next to her and picked up a black marker. "Would you sign it, Kagome? Please?"

Kagome grinned and took the marker. "It would be an honor!" She scribbled her signature, and took a moment to draw a flower next to it. "There! And a daisy, just for you!"

Suki giggled and took the pen back before looking up to the hanyou gazing out the window. "Mr. Inuyasha?"

He started slightly, and turned to her in surprise, as though he had been caught dozing. He raised his eyebrows in question, pointed ears twitching in her direction.

"Mr. Inuyasha, would you please sign my cast?" She looked down at her hands, fingering the pen in her lap. "I've been hoping you'd come. I saved a special spot, in case you did."

Inuyasha blushed and made his way slowly to the bed. "Sure, kid." He took the pen from her. "So…where's this special spot?"

"I had my mom draw it out." She stretched her arm as far as she could without bending her torso, and pointed to the end of her foot, the part that was turned up, so she could see it without bending to look, right beneath her little toes. "Momma drew a big heart. I told her to leave lots of room for the inside for your signature." She gazed up at him. "I asked her to leave it empty, because I wanted to save it for my hero."

Inuyasha blushed fiercely and swallowed, looking extremely embarrassed. Biting his lip, and looking uncomfortable, he slowly moved next to her foot, sitting down next to Kagome on the bed. He reached out and signed his name in large letters, so she could read it easily from where she sat. Below it, much smaller, he wrote something Kagome couldn't make out from her position. And, if she couldn't make it out from right next to him, she was sure Suki wouldn't be able to read it without pulling her foot right up to her face, and that just wasn't possible.

He capped the pen quickly, and handed it to the girl. Then he nodded to her briefly, mumbled a goodbye, and left the room.

Kagome turned to smile at the girl, and said her goodbyes, promising to visit her again. Before she left, she leaned in close and read the words written beneath his name, just inside the bottom of the heart drawn there. They were so tiny, they were almost illegible, but Kagome could barely make it out.

"I'll make it right. I keep my promises."

**o0o**

Kagome caught up with him in the hallway, and made mental notes to herself as they walked back to the office building in silence.

As concerned as she was with her journalist project, she was more concerned with what was occurring around her_. 'Ha, Kikyo had no idea that she was feeding me the best news story ever! I'll have front row seat to the whole thing, and all the inside information, as well as the inside perspective! This is perfect.'_

She frowned. _'But this is bigger than a story. This is the livelihoods of a lot of people on the line. This is the city on the line. This is…this is more than me and my story, more than Inuyasha and his business, even.' _

She gazed speculatively at the man walking next to her, his eyes distant, his long strides rapid. _'They don't even realize all the good he's doing. Sure, the ones he's helped know it, but what about all the others? All the bad press reports? The bad publicity? The personal attacks?'_ Ok, so maybe Inuyasha brought those on himself. He wasn't exactly the most well-mannered, good humored sort. _'What about those that believes he's doing this to monopolize the city?'_

Kagome smiled to herself. _'But maybe that's why I'm here…'_

They crossed the last street and came through the front doors to the tall office building. Inside, people in suits were moving back and forth, to and from elevators, stopping to talk at the front desk, or enjoying a cup of coffee on one of the many benches inside. Kagome loved the first floor lobby and its beautiful expanse of space. It was like being outside in a park with its many potted trees, and its large front windows and skylights.

But her favorite feature by far was the fountain in the center of it all. It was of a large, beautiful gray stone structure with intricate designs carved all through it. No tacky mermaids or fat cherubs on this one. It was peaceful and natural looking.

The main center statue consisted of a large tree, with vines growing up the sides of it. It must have taken ages to carve, and the detail was phenomenal. The roots of the tree spread through the bottom of the fountain, seeping down into the water that filled the basin around it, and water flowed out from hidden holes in its limbs and branches. Along the rim were small carvings of tiny birds, perched as though ready to drink from the crystal water.

Kagome loved it. Every day, when the people of that building walked into work, they were greeted with the large, cheerful fountain, with its smell of clean water, and its happy gurgle.

She smiled as they passed it and turned to ask Inuyasha more about who designed it.

And then…it exploded, and all hell broke loose.

**o0o**

First, I want to express my surprise at something. So, let me paint a picture for you, via a nice little story.

Ahem…

Jenn woke up one morning in a sore mood because of her many back problems that seemed to be increasing by the hour. Before heading in to get some blood work done, she thought, 'I'll see if I have any reviews. Reviews always cheer me up.' So, she propped herself up on her desk chair, since she can't sit up very well anymore, and checked her email. Sure enough, reviews pop up! Yay! She read through each one, smiling and doing a mental dance, secretly loving and adoring every person in turn. She reached one that mentioned her one-shot, War of the Cliques. The lovely reviewer asked if it had anything to do with discussions on the fanguild threads. 'Fanguild?' she wondered to herself. 'I must investigate!' After much Google-ing, she finally found said Fanguild, and promptly joined, in interest.

After she got back from the doctor's office, she received another email, accepting her application to join the fanguild group. 'Wow, they nominate for great stories! Cool, I think I'll look at the nominations, so I can find some great stories to read!' So, she did. And of course, she went straight for the humor, because she loves humor fics, even though she's not as adept at writing them herself.

And then, she saw it…a nomination…For HER! "WTF?" she said aloud. (Which in Jenn's terms is, "What The Fajita?" since she doesn't swear in real life and can't even bring herself to type the 'f word.') She read it again. A nomination, for 10 Rules to Live By, under Humor.

Then, she fell over and died from sheer surprise.

The End.

Ok, that last part was fiction. But the rest was true! Seriously, though…wow. I'm so… flattered. And…shocked. And…curious, because I didn't think 10 Rules was that funny because they're all different one-shots…well, I was rather fond of the Snot Demon, but…wow. I'm so flattered. Just to be nominated! Screw seconding! Screw winning! Someone liked my fic! AH!

Alright, moving on to the real A/N of this chapter.

I just wanted to get the scene with the girl out of the way, because she won't come into focus as much any more. Well, indirectly she will, but not as a character, so much as a trigger to future events.

And I'm so cheesy. I mean…the fountain? Tree? Geesh. (I have it perfectly pictured in my head. I want one now. Only, one that didn't explode.)

Oh, and drug pens? Pharmacy reps give out loads of free pens (and other stuff) to pharmacists and hospitals. It's awesome. I have a whole box full of them…I'll never have to buy another pen again. EVER! Buah ha ha…

Ok, done now.

Wow, you are so wonderful with reviews. And such good ideas. I'm really tired at the moment, and want to update this one, and my back is killing me so I can't sit in my chair any longer, so I'll answer all the questions at the end of the next chapter! (And I'll edit this later. I've been going back and editing all the other ones as I get time. But I wanted to get them posted, because I'm eager to get moving. So…ignore mistakes at the moment. I'll get them in the next few days.)

Thank you SOOOOO much for your support and reviews. It means so very much to me.


	7. Aftermath

**A/N: **Oh, lookie. At the beginning this time. That's because I wanted to give a small warning. There are two deaths here. Not of main characters, so don't worry, but they were not happy deaths. I didn't make them very graphic, though.

And I'm SORRY for not updating sooner. Crazy busy, been traveling, lots of doctor appointments, blood tests, blah blah blah. Forgive me, the next will come faster. (Though I want to get one in for Family first, and I still need to update Ten Rules….agh! What was I thinking? Don't worry, though… I abandon nothing!)

Ps, thank you Sara for the BEAUTIFUL manga you did of A Tree and A Flower. (See that? SHE loves me... where are the rest of my pictures, dadgummit?)

Also, someone pointed out an error of mine! Ack, I cannot have a cute little girl with the same name as a porn star… so I changed the porn stars name. He he… you can go back and look, but I dedicated it to one of my favorite reviewers. Buah ha ha… Take THAT oh Maid!

**Chapter Seven**

**o0o**

Everything was a blur of movement, and looking back, Kagome wouldn't have been able to give an exact description of what happened. One second she was turning to Inuyasha, and in the next there was a loud eruption, and she found herself on the floor, warm and protected. She opened her eyes and saw only darkness. This worried her for a moment before she realized that her face was being covered by something, and she wasn't actually blinded.

She squirmed at first, her back aching after her landing on the cold marble floor, but a tightening grip on her body stilled her. She breathed in deeply, and the smell told her undeniably that it was Inuyasha that was covering her.

He covered her body with his, and she could feel his soft, silvery hair caress her cheek. When the fountain blew to pieces, Inuyasha had his back to it. Kagome had been ready to say something to him when he heard the blast. Her face had rocked him worse than the explosion, though. Her eyes grew wide and fearful, and she opened her mouth to scream. But Inuyasha was already moving toward her before she could even know what was going on, immediately reacting to what he could not see.

He leapt off the ground and toward her, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her down to the ground with him. He rolled them both behind a large stone pot full of plants, one of the many that decorated the lobby. He cradled her head against his chest, wrapping one arm around to protect the back of her skull, while the other held her behind her shoulders and upper back.

The only coherent thought that seemed to permeate her thick senses and find its way into focus was that she was warm and safe, and had never felt quite as protected as she did at that moment.

When the ground seemed to still, and the last of the fallen debris had come down, she felt him shift and pull himself away slightly. He lifted himself up on his hands and looked down into her face.

"You ok?" The concern in his golden eyes was evident, and his brows were drawn together in a questioning gaze.

She reached a shaking hand upward to touch her own cheek, as though to be sure that she was, in fact, still in one piece. "Yeah…yeah, I'm fine."

He nodded briefly and pulled himself up to kneel next to her and looked around slowly. Kagome felt the immediate loss of his presence, but rallied herself together and propped herself on one elbow to follow his gaze.

She gasped. "Inuyasha…."

The place was a disaster. Ruined? No. The building was sturdy, and it was obvious that the bomb was a warning…a threat. If someone had wanted to take down the building, they wouldn't have placed the bomb in the center of a large lobby, away from most of the building's supports.

There was a large hole blasted where the fountain used to be, the stone floor around it covered in black marks and pitted with holes. Chunks of the once beautiful artwork lay strewn here and there, the broken piping spraying water in a few different directions.

Everyone looked relatively unharmed…a few sported gashes from the flinging stone, and two unfortunate people were beneath the large front window when it shattered. Three kind men in suits were picking their way through the shards to help the two who were there bleeding beneath the sheets of broken glass.

Her gaze fell upon the spot where she and Inuyasha had been walking only moments ago. A large chunk of stone lay, cracking the floor beneath it. Something fell out of the bottom of her stomach. "That could have been me." Her voice trembled.

Inuyasha looked at it a moment before turning his gaze to meet hers. "But it wasn't. So don't let yourself get worked up. You're fine now."

Kagome looked over and saw the sudden flurry of people coming out of the stairwell, filing out and making their way outside, helping up those who were injured on the way. It was then that she realized that the fire alarm was going off. _'Oh…didn't hear it…how odd.'_ She shook her head to clear it and watched as two men helped one with a badly bleeding leg out of the building, an arm around each of their shoulders. She saw a middle-aged balding man scoop up a terrified young woman with a nasty head wound and carry her outside bridal style.

"They're all so…helpful."

"They're honorable." Inuyasha looked down at her before looking back at the workers who had banned together to lift a large chunk of the broken fountain off the leg of a burly custodian. "Most of them work for me. And we are very careful about who we hire." He grinned slightly. "Some of them are half demon like me, some of them full, many of them human. And I make sure every one of them has no problems whatsoever working with someone not 'their kind.'" He nodded at two of his security guards as they passed to make sure the building was clear. "I won't hire anyone who isn't honorable."

Kagome nodded and smiled and shifted to sit up before pulling herself to a standing position. Inuyasha stood and took her by the elbow to help her up. "I'm not going to bother telling you to go outside, since I know you won't do it anyhow." She smiled at him brilliantly and he just shook his head at her and rolled his eyes. "But I am going to tell you to go sit down out of the way. Stay still, stay away from other people, and for the love of god don't get in any trouble."

She smirked at his scowl and leaned jokingly over to him, looping her arm through his. "Why Inuyasha, your concern touches me," she said dryly. Then she laughed, patted his arm, and made her way over to one of the benches that were still unharmed to sit and watch, committing everything to memory so she could write about it later.

Inuyasha looked at her retreating figure and gave an exasperated sigh before shaking his silvery head and walking quickly over to his head of security who was waiting there talking to Kouga and an angry looking Sango.

She turned to him as he approached and the relief was evident in her expression. "You're ok. Thank God. Were you here when it went off?"

"Kagome and I had just walked into the lobby when it exploded."

"Oh, no, is she ok?"

He folded his arms and nodded his head to where Kagome was sitting quietly, looking around at the damage with wide eyes. "She's fine. And no one appears to be fatally wounded."

His head of Security, another wolf demon named Ginta, leaned over as a uniformed employee leaned up to whisper something in his ear. Ginta looked worried a moment over the information he was receiving before clearing his throat softly and turning to Inuyasha.

"Sir, we have a problem."

Inuyasha raised a brow in question and nodded for him to continue.

"When my men were sweeping the building, we…we found something. I think you should come with me."

"Alright, lead the way." He turned over his shoulder to make sure Kagome was in the place she should be in.

The bench was empty. _'Shit.' _His eyes swept the destroyed lobby and he jumped suddenly when a voice spoke up to his right.

"If you're looking for me, I'm right next to you."

"Damn it! What did you do that for!"

She smiled brightly. "I thought you could smell me!"

He flushed slightly. "Too many people in here, and a whole lot of dust kicked up from the blast."

She cocked her head to one side. "So, were you just going to leave me behind?"

He rolled his eyes and glared at Sango, who was smirking to herself, before giving Kagome his most stern and commanding look. "You're staying here."

"No, I'm not."

He ground his teeth. "Yes, you are."

Kouga took a large step over to Kagome's side and swung his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, Kagome. I'll be honored to stay and keep you company."

Inuyasha growled slightly and pulled her after him as he stalked quickly toward the stairwell. "Ah, shit, just don't cause any problems."

Sango giggled and followed as Ginta rushed to catch up with the angry hanyou. The wolf demon hadn't even gotten a chance to tell him where he was going before he stomped off.

Kouga leaned down to Sango and muttered into her ear. "So, how obvious was that? I swear, anyone could read him like a book."

She grinned. "Too obvious. And they both seem completely oblivious to the fact that he's already fallen for her. I love it."

"What about her?"

Sango tilted her head to the side in thought. "I don't know. But I'm going to find out…."

**o0o**

"Did they find them yet?"

A figure in a darkened corner of the lobby shifted. "I think so. Silver's on his way up there now."

The voice over the earpiece sounded eerily delighted. "Good. Does he have any idea yet?"

The bear youkai scowled. "Of course not. He's too wrapped up in his precious buildings and the worthless creatures living in them. He has no idea what he's run into." He smirked slightly and continued. "And he's got a lovely distraction in that young woman that's been following him around."

There was a pause. "What young woman? Why have I not been informed of her, Kisho?"

Kisho crossed his arms and leaned against the brick wall, watching Silver drag the young woman out of sight and up the stairwell before replying. "She's just some college student. She's supposed to write a piece on Silver, or something like that."

He heard Naraku's sigh of impatience through his earpiece.

"Don't let her do too much digging. I don't trust journalists."

Kisho smirked. "Sir, you own a paper."

Naraku chuckled. "That just means I know journalists a little better than most, leaving me all the more reason not to trust them. Now go, I want them watched closely, and report back to me at the end of the day."

"Yes, sir." Kisho straightened his custodial uniform before slipping into another stairwell and disappearing.

**o0o**

The bodies swung grotesquely from side to side, like grim, leering pendulums.

Sango still sat on the floor where she had backed into the wall and slid down it. She stared at the sight before her, eyes threatening to spill over with tears, shaking her head in disbelief.

"But…but I was here the whole time. All the way up until the blast. They couldn't…they just couldn't. How? How?" She mumbled over and over to herself, shaking her head.

Kouga tore his gaze away from the scene before him and knelt next to her, absently rubbing one shoulder, muttering nearly incoherent reassurances that she wasn't to blame, that it wasn't her fault.

Ginta had taken a few steps into the room before turning back around and heading out, grabbing his radio and making the necessary calls to obtain a forensics team on the site.

Inuyasha stood still, a few feet in front of the open door, his back to the rest. His silvery pointed ears were laid back against his hair, and his entire body was tense, frozen. He took in his surroundings: the two bodies dangling lifelessly, their feet thudding occasionally on the edge of his desk, his bookshelves overturned, papers scattered, his computer smashed against one wall, the monitor still flickering, its cord just barely remaining in the outlet.

His eyes flickered upward to where the ropes were attached to the ceiling. A long beam stretched from one side of his office to the other, and Inuyasha had vague recollections of passing time by trying to fly paper airplanes through the gap between the beam and his ceiling. The ropes were tied there now, and he tried to avoid the gaze of the glazed eyes of his foreman, Kan, and a young woman Inuyasha recognized as the chief architect for the building Kan had been overseeing the construction of.

He felt a hand reach into his own and he didn't have to look down to know that it was Kagome's. He heard her sniffle slightly next to him, and could smell her tears. She squeezed his clawed hand gently, and he let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding before squeezing gently back.

He turned suddenly, releasing her hand and stalking out of the room, glaring ahead as he did so. He passed Ginta in the lobby and issued a low voiced command. "Get the girls out of there. Tell everyone to go home for the day, and make sure no one goes to the new worksite. I don't want anyone there or here in this building, is that understood? No one but security and police."

Ginta nodded. "Yes, sir."

He nodded his head at him briefly before allowing his determined stride to take him out of the lobby and into the stairwell, shoving his way roughly past a few members of the incoming forensics team.

Kagome stepped out of the office in time to see his silver hair disappear from sight. She took a look from Ginta back to the stairwell before following determinedly.

**o0o**

It didn't take her much time to find him, and it was by following a mere hunch that she did. Journalists just seemed to have those instincts, and hers told her exactly where he'd be.

She trekked her way slowly over the loose gravel, and stopped a few feet behind his dark form. She watched his silver hair billow in the evening wind, the last fragments of the setting sun catching the glistening strands.

"It wasn't your fault, you know."

She saw his shoulders hunch slightly. "Yes it was."

She scowled and shook her head before walking up next to him, gazing out at the remains of this newest construction site. "You're trying to help these people. I don't care what kind of crap story you're giving about how big an investment it is, you genuinely care about these people."

He smirked slightly and shifted his stance, shoving his hands into his pants pockets.

She smiled in response, before wrapping her arms around herself and letting a deep shiver run through her body. She had forgotten a jacket.

He didn't look toward her, but his ears flicked in her direction before he shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it across her shoulders.

"Stupid girl…should have just gone home."

She gave him a bright smile and pulled the coat further around her body. "And leave you all to your lonesome? Don't be ridiculous."

He laughed lightly at that, and turned his gaze back to the site in front of him.

Kagome shuffled her feet, and followed his gaze. "Penny for your thoughts?"

He frowned slightly and closed his eyes, lowering his head so that his bangs hid his expression. "I'm thinking that those people will never live out the lives they should have. And I'm thinking that their families will suffer for it." He swallowed and raised his eyes to meet hers. "And I'm thinking that it all has something to do with this site." He scowled and turned back to the piles of rubble before him. "But what I don't know is why."

**o0o**

They had stayed there, looking at the piece of land before them long after darkness fell, and the streetlights turned on. They both sat down on the curb staring and thinking in silence. Inuyasha was just beginning to feel the fatigue of the day when he felt Kagome's head fall against his shoulder. He looked over to see her dozing sweetly, his jacket clutched around her small shoulders.

He shifted slightly, and Kagome's head slid off his shoulder and gently down his torso and into his lap. She moaned softly in her sleep, but didn't wake.

'_Damn, she's had as rough a day as I have.'_

A surge of pity gripped him and he shook his head, letting a small, soft smile creep over his features. "Idiot girl. You should have been in bed ages ago," he said softly.

He scooped her up in his arms, rose to his feet, and walked into the darkening street, the girl cradled in his arms, and his silver hair catching the glinting light of the streetlamps.


	8. The Right Choice

**Chapter Eight**

**The Right Choice**

**o0o**

'_So…really didn't think this through.' _

He looked down at the young woman fast asleep in his arms, and looked up at the entrance of his apartment.

'_Shit. Now what?'_

Not wanting to wake her, Inuyasha had carried Kagome down the street heading for home. It wasn't until he actually arrived there that he realized that…he was home, and still had her. It had been natural habit to simply walk, and arrive at his apartment. But while standing in front of his door ready to reach into his pocket for his key, he realized that he had a sleeping woman in his arms, and this was definitely out of the ordinary.

'_Damn.'_

He could wake her, but he'd just have to carry her back to her hotel. Or he could carry her to her hotel, but then he'd have to wake her to get her key to get her in. And then how would it look anyway with him entering a hotel with a sleeping woman in his arms? Not good. Add to all this the fact that he was actually quite exhausted, and already at his own apartment, the logical thing to do would be to just put her in the spare bedroom and deal with her later…after he had slept.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

He struggled momentarily to hold her against him while trying to withdraw his key from his pocket. After finally opening the door, he strode in and headed straight for the spare room. In an awkward dance that would have been downright comical for anyone watching, he stood on one foot and used the other to pull back the coverlet. He managed to slip his shoe beneath the edge of it and kick it backward. He then gently laid her on the sheets, and knelt beside her to pull off her tiny black flats, and brush her hair away from her face.

It was actually Sango's room at one point, when he had his adopted sister still living with him. But after saving up enough money from her job working as his assistant, she felt compelled to move in to her own apartment. Since then, he had left the room exactly as it was.

In truth, Inuyasha had liked it better when Sango had been living with him. The apartment just seemed cold and lonely without anyone else in it. At least she had brought life and warmth into the place. Now Inuyasha dreaded going home.

He straightened the violet bedspread over Kagome's sleeping form and looked at her a moment, her shoes dangling from one hand.

'_She's not so bad, really…when she's not talking.'_

As though able to hear his thoughts Kagome shifted and scowled in her sleep.

Inuyasha frowned and leaned forward, using one large thumb to wipe away the crease in her forehead. She immediately relaxed, let out a contented sigh, and looked peaceful once again.

He looked at her a moment longer before finally shaking his head, setting her shoes down by the end of the bed, and going to his own room.

He undressed quickly and slid beneath his black comforter.

The last thought that passed through his mind before sleep claimed him was a simple one of content for being home. _'You know…now that she's here, it feels better here already.'_

**o0o**

Inuyasha Silver had been adrift in dreams when loud sobbing broke into his subconscious and brought him fully back into reality. Disoriented momentarily, he laid still and blinked in the darkness. However, the sobbing increased and he shot up in bed, realizing exactly who was in his apartment.

He leapt from his warm cocoon of blankets, grabbed a pair of sweatpants hanging off the corner of his dresser, and lunged out of the room into the hallway. Skidding on the hardwood floor, he scrambled and hopped on one leg, trying to get the other into his pants. Finally fully clothed he made his way quickly into his spare bedroom where Kagome was currently thrashing and crying out in her sleep.

"Help…someone please help! I can't breathe…can't…can't move…."

He moved and sat on the edge of her bed, gently shaking her shoulders.

"Kagome…Kagome, come on, wake up."

He shook her shoulder a little harder, and the young woman shot up straight in bed. This was unfortunate, as it caused her forehead to collide with Inuyasha's nose. Rubbing her head with one hand and wiping tears away from her face with the other, she looked around in confusion.

What she found was a shirtless Inuyasha, rubbing his nose and looking slightly annoyed. She blushed immediately, and was thankful for the darkness that hid it.

Coming to the conclusion that the pain in her forehead somehow corresponded to the pain in his nose, she apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you in the face. I was just…surprised."

He lowered his hand from his nose, sighed and let the matter drop. "You were crying in your sleep." He looked uncomfortable. "You were yelling too…about how you couldn't breathe, and couldn't move."

She sniffled and looked out the moonlit window beyond his head. "I dreamed I was trapped…under a lot of dirt. And it was slowly being scooped on over me, like I was being buried alive. But no one would listen to me yell…it's like they were filling the hole without knowing I was in there." She shuddered. "It was awful."

He looked alarmed for a moment, afraid she was about to break into a fresh wave of tears, but she merely sniffled and wiped at her eyes again.

"I'm sorry I woke you I…wait a second. Where am I?"

He stood up from her bed, and she felt the mattress shift beneath her. "You fell asleep while we were at the site. I didn't want to wake you, and I had walked home without thinking…so I figured you could stay in Sango's old room until tomorrow." He looked at the bedside clock that read one in the morning. "Or today."

"Oh." She looked down at her hands. "That was very thoughtful of you. Thank you."

"Feh. Whatever." He turned to leave the room, his silver hair swinging behind him, and she looked up in alarm.

"Where are you going?"

He stopped and sent her a dry look with a raised eyebrow. "To my bed. Where else?"

She blushed again. "Oh…um…" She fidgeted a moment before Inuyasha took pity on her.

"Can't sleep again?"

She shook her head sheepishly.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on. I'm sure there's tea or something in the kitchen."

She smiled and slid out of bed to follow him through his apartment.

Ten minutes time found the two seated on the couch in the living room, both holding mugs of hot cocoa. Having found a mix for it in the cupboard both had concluded that hot cocoa was by far preferable to tea.

The large window gracing one side of the apartment's living room showed a beautiful moon, surrounded by a generous sprinkling of stars. While normally hard to distinguish in the city, the night seemed especially dark, and the stars twinkled brightly.

Kagome took a sip from her mug before looking at the man next to her. "You said earlier before I fell asleep," she blushed again at this but pushed on bravely, "that the building site had something to do with the…the murders." The last word was barely uttered, and she looked thoroughly upset. It had only just occurred to her once again that two people had been killed that day.

Inuyasha must have noticed because he looked uncomfortable, wondering what exactly to do or say. He settled with reaching a hand over and patting her shoulder clumsily. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

He removed his hand and gazed into his mug for a moment. "What I said about the site…it seems to me that everything bad happening revolves around that spot."

He looked angry and confused and pounded his free hand against his thigh. "Damn. It just never ends. I mean…I've had trouble since I started. There have always obstructions, and oppositions, especially from that bastard Naraku. But they have never been as bad as this. It's almost as if…as if this site is somehow really important to him. But I can't figure out why."

Kagome watched him furrow his brow in concentration as he stared out the window at the moon. "There has to be something important about it…something particular about that location. I could never figure out why he always wanted the various slummy areas of the city, because he never bothered to fix them up or make money off of them when he did beat me to buying them. He owns tons of property, and none of it is really that much use. And he usually just sells it after a while anyway…when he realizes he can't make any money off of it without putting money into it."

He shook his head. "No, there has to be a pattern."

Kagome looked up from her mug. "Maybe he's not after a particular location or building. Maybe…maybe he's searching for something _in _those locations?"

Inuyasha jerked his gaze in her direction and Kagome felt a thrill run through her. His eyes were intense, and the moonlight reflected off of his hair like silvery diamonds. The fact that he was shirtless did absolutely nothing for her flustered sensibilities either.

She blushed and started visibly when she realized that he had obviously asked her something, and was waiting for a response.

"Um…I'm sorry, what?"

He ignored her look of discomfort and repeated the question. "I said, 'That's a good thought, but what could he possibly be looking for?'"

She shrugged. "I don't know…it was just a notion. But it's worth looking into, don't you think? Or at least watching? If he is looking for something, perhaps he'll send people to the site while he thinks no one is there."

Inuyasha nodded slowly, thinking. "You know, you might make a journalist yet. You certainly seem capable of looking at different angles. Yeah, I'll be sure to have people hidden and watching from now on."

She was prepared to be insulted at the crack on her journalism potential, but then realized that Inuyasha was a man who didn't hand out compliments easily. The fact that he had praised her abilities at all was a rarity in itself and so she took it as a true compliment, letting it warm her unsteady emotions.

He had turned once again to stare out the window, and while his expression wasn't one of upset or anger, it seemed to be filled with an almost solemn aura.

She took the opportunity to examine his profile, finally able to just sit and stare at him without anyone else around to cause her embarrassment.

His silvery bangs fell thickly over his face, and his soft white ears were alert and constantly twitching, crowning his long and rather unruly hair. His brows were thick and black. While they should have contrasted greatly with his hair, they complimented his features, giving his face more expression and depth. She could see the light reflect off the thousands of tiny flecks of gold in his iris's, and gleam off his fangs that sometimes poked out from his soft-looking lips.

She watched him as he sighed and leaned forward, his arms rested on his spread knees, his face downward. His bangs covered his eyes, and his mug now lay forgotten on the floor between his feet. Kagome tilted her head in sympathy when she saw the tense line of shoulder and neck.

'_He's so stressed. He can't be that much older than me, and he already has so many more responsibilities. All the people in the areas that he now owns…they all depend on him to make their lives better. Everything rests on his shoulders.' _

She set her mug resolutely on the ground next to her feet and moved closer until she was directly beside him. He looked up, startled at her sudden nearness and movement, but she reached out and firmly turned his torso that he was facing away from her and began to slowly rub and knead at the tight knots in his shoulders and neck. He tensed at the sudden contact, but immediately began to relax when he realized just what she was doing.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "it's just that you looked so tense. And…and it's my fault you're awake to begin with."

He didn't respond, but didn't push her away either, so Kagome moved to sit on her knees and continued to work at the muscles in his neck and shoulders. She tried to ignore just how nice and firm his skin felt, and focused only on helping to ease the tension she found there.

Inuyasha, though a bit shocked at first, immediately adjusted to being pampered, as any male does. He groaned softly when she found a particularly sore spot and began to relieve the pain.

Kagome worked her way up his neck slowly and he let his head drop forward to allow her better access. She relished the feel of her hands beneath the full, thick mane of hair that hung down his back and smiled when she felt him relax more beneath her touch.

The entire act was surprisingly non-sexual in every way. She enjoyed the fact that she was helping to relieve his pain, and he…well, he enjoyed that fact too.

She worked her way down his back muscles, slowly easing away the knots, relieving the pressure. He leaned further forward as she went down, making her way to his lower back.

When she had reached his waist, she lifted her hands to grasp his shoulders and pull him upright again. "Here, let me get your upper arms and pectorals too, to finish up. I used to give Miroku massages after he'd had particularly rough days at his training center. He always came back with these huge bruises and I used to wonder who he fought that could take him down so badly. I was always under the impression that Miroku was a really good fighter." She knew she was rambling and stopped when she heard him chuckle softly.

"He's a great fighter. But he's no match for me."

She stilled in shock and looked over his shoulder at him. "It was you? All that time, you were the one?"

He laughed out loud at that. "Yeah, I'd imagine. He can take all his other opponents. I'm the only one he seems to have a problem with. Though…he has beaten me on occasion. Usually it's when he talks me into distraction, though."

She giggled at that. "Yes, Miroku has always been an excellent talker. He could talk and charm his way in and out of anything."

A companionable silence ensued for a moment before he grasped one of her hands in his and it stilled on his shoulder. His head was still lowered slightly, and his eyes were hidden in shadows. His voice was soft and raspy when he spoke, completely sincere and full of tenderness. "Thank you. Sometimes I forget…just how much of this weight that I carry with me everyday."

She squeezed his shoulder in reply. "And I'm betting a lot of others forget it too. Just…relax for a while. You need it."

He chuckled softly and let his hand drop to his lap as she reached over his shoulders to rub gently at his upper arms, squeezing gently and pushing the pressure down the lengths of his arms, out his fingertips so that his arms felt like weighty attachments, relaxed and limp. She reached up around his shoulders to his pectorals, and pressed and kneaded them in slow circles.

Giving into the pressure of her fingertips, Inuyasha began to lean backwards and towards her body. Slowly relaxing completely, he gave in and let sleep gently claim him as he was finally pressed back completely, coming to rest against Kagome's form behind him.

She blinked down at the warm body resting against her. His head was a weighty presence on her collarbone, just above her right breast, and his face was turned so that she could feel his slow breathing against her neck. She shifted slightly, so that her legs were no longer crossed beneath him, but stretched out on either side of his hips, one leg bent over the edge and resting on the floor, the other pinned between Inuyasha's body and the back of the couch. She let her hands finally still against his bare chest.

'_He finally looks…at rest.' _

She smiled, knowing that she had helped, and leaned her head back against the corner of the couch to fall into a warm, restful sleep as well.

**o0o**

Inuyasha blinked sleepily and tried to ignore the sunlight streaming in through the window and onto his eyelids.

'_Nooo…I won't get up. I refuse_.' He reached down to pull his blanket up over him once again, only to find it missing. He searched some more, refusing to open his eyes.

Still, his hand grasped nothing, and he groaned, shifting to burrow his face more into his pillow.

Only then did he realize that he was not in his bed, but nestled against a very warm, very soft body. He opened his eyes slowly and encountered a slim, smooth expanse of throat, which led to the face of a very alarmed-looking Kagome.

She was staring at him in shock, as though she too wondered how they had come to be in that position. Her arms, he finally noticed, were still wrapped comfortably around him, and her warm hands rested against his bare chest.

"Ummm…"

He stared hard a blank expanse of wall across the room from them and searched the dark recesses of his fuzzy memory for a reason to their current position, refusing entirely to meet her gaze again. He noted the fact that she was still fully clothed with relief. _'Phew…ok, so we didn't have passionate sex on my couch. That's a relief, because if we had, I would be so pissed that I don't remember _any_ of it.'_

He heard Kagome clear her throat right next to his ear and finally looked back up into her face. She was blushing hugely now, and he almost grinned at the sight, had he not been aware that a similar rosy color was surely creeping onto his own heated face.

"So…you fell asleep while I was giving you a massage last night." She squirmed a bit beneath him, but he didn't get up. "I, um, kinda drifted off too."

She looked up at the ceiling, across the room, out the window, and nearly anywhere but into his eyes. She squirmed again, and Inuyasha closed his eyes, taking in the feeling of her closeness. It didn't last long, though. What had started as a purely non-sexual act of helpfulness and caring was quickly turning a little more heated, and Inuyasha could feel a distinct warmth flow quickly through his body as she squirmed beneath his weight.

Quickly realizing just how she was affecting certain body parts, he scrambled from his position on top of her and made a hasty retreat from the room, tossing a mumbled "Need to take a shower," over his shoulder in explanation.

Kagome stared after him, blushing profusely, from her position on the couch. When she could hear his bathroom door close and the water flowing inside, she relaxed once again. She breathed a deep sigh and blew her bangs out of her face.

That had perhaps been the most heated encounter she had ever had in her life. _'What's gotten into me? He's…I mean he…I just…I barely know him, for goodness' sake!' _She tried to distract herself with straightening out her extraordinarily wrinkled blouse and black dress pants, but it was a lost cause. She let them be and look around the apartment.

Her stomach grumbled loudly. Casting one quick glance in the direction of the bathroom, where sounds of a shower could still be heard, she hurried into the kitchen. Most of the food looked as though it had been there for some time, and the kitchen looked hardly touched. _'Must eat out a lot…' _

She found some eggs and butter in the fridge, though, and even some cheese that hadn't even been opened yet. She opened the lid on the milk container and took a sniff. Still smelled fine, and the date was only one day over.

"Eh, good enough." She set to work.

By the time Inuyasha had poked his head into the kitchen sniffing, Kagome was dishing food out onto plates. She smiled up at him in greeting. "Good morning! I made omelets; I hope you don't mind…"

He shook his head vaguely, having eyes only for the plate she held in front of his nose. Kagome watched him take the plate and pad barefooted over to the small table on the other side of the kitchen. He was in dark gray slacks and a black shirt that was still unbuttoned. A metallic-gray tie hung around his neck untied and his silvery hair was still damp, hanging down his back in a low and loose ponytail.

Kagome swallowed hard, shook her head and put her attention back toward her breakfast. Upon finishing breakfast they agreed that he would drop her off at her hotel and she would come into the office later after showering and changing. Thankfully, he had walked to work the day before, so his car was still at his home.

She was fidgeting in aforementioned automobile when he strode out, now completely dressed and ready for the day. He was holding a very loud conversation over his cell phone with some of his security staff, from what it sounded like.

"Like hell I won't! We will continue working in the office. I won't let someone push me out or try and scare me away."

He growled as he listened to the response that Kagome couldn't quite make out. "Damn it, well of course she's mad! You won't let her into her office. Let her in there now! She's my sister, and that makes her second in command when I'm not around."

Inuyasha started the car and screeched from the parking spot while Kagome fumbled to tighten her seatbelt.

"Just a secretary? If you ever call her that again, I swear, I will fire you so fast you won't even remember it happening except for the pain in your ass from when I kick you out the door! She is not _just_ a secretary; she is acting as my assistant."

He wove in and out of morning traffic and Kagome kept a white-knuckled grip on the door handle.

"Sango could have any job she wants because she's talented enough to have any job she wants. She could even replace _you_, and you'd do well to remember that! She _chose_ that position, and you will listen to her, no matter what her title is! Is that understood?"

They screeched to a halt in front of Kagome's hotel, a block away from the office building.

"Good. Now let her in, let anyone who chooses to come back to work day come back, and get to work figuring out exactly how it is that my lobby exploded!"

He flipped his phone shut with an angry snap and seemed to come to his senses. He looked around, as though slightly startled that they had already arrived at their destination, and finally gave a sheepish look to Kagome. "Sorry about that. Idiot security officer. Should really make sure Ginta gives him desk shifts from now on…."

Kagome gave him a weak grin and loosened her grip on the door. "No sweat. Umm…thanks for the ride. And…take it easy, ok? You look like you're about to pop a blood vessel." She reached over and smoothed out one of the angry lines that had formed across his forehead. "Two, in fact."

He grabbed her hand before she could fully remove it and brought it down between them. He looked at their hands for a moment, before gazing back into her eyes. "Are you sure you're ok with doing this? With…with keeping up this whole story thing. I mean, it's getting really dangerous. And you should have to be subjected to all this shit. Perhaps you should choose someone else to write your final piece on. Never really understood why you picked me to begin with…."

He trailed off, blushing slightly and looking at their hands again, still joined between them. Kagome looked at his downcast eyes. He was beautiful really…the silver in his hair, and the way it brought out the silver lines in his tie, a brilliant contrast to his crisp black shirt.

"How old are you?"

She asked it suddenly, and the question surprised them both, for Kagome had never meant to blurt it out that way. He looked up, caught off-guard, and she floundered. "I mean, I just…I never asked before and…well, how old are you?"

"Twenty-four."

She was visibly startled at this, and gaped slightly. "Wait, that can't be…you've been running this company for six years, you have to be at least…"

"I started when I was eighteen."

She gaped a bit more and he looked away uncomfortably. "My father died when I was young, and I was raised by Myouga…like I already told you. He didn't raise me using the money my father left…he just let it sit and account interest and let it grow. He took care of me himself. And when Naraku came in to buy the factory he worked in, and the buildings around it, including the building we had been living in, I decided that enough was enough. I had seen what Naraku was doing to all these other pieces of land he was buying, and I didn't want that happening to Myouga, or any of our neighbors. So I…I bought it. I took out some of the money I had, bought it, invested in making it better and…well, I began making a successful business out of it."

He shrugged his shoulders and Kagome was suddenly once again aware that he still held her hand in his. She squeezed it. "I'm twenty-one. You were eighteen when you started changing lives. I'd say I'm a bit behind, but…maybe if I hang around you long enough, I can learn how to catch up. I'm sticking with my first choice." She smiled warmly at him. "It was a good one."

She squeezed his hand once more, and was gone, out the car and into the hotel lobby.

Inuyasha grinned slightly after her. _'You were eighteen when you started changing lives…I'm a bit behind….'_

"Not as behind as you think, Kagome."

A/N:

Eesh, all that writing for one night and one morning! Ah, well…it was an important night and morning.

Thank you for reviews, I do appreciate it SOOOO much! Criticism? Comments? A joke (I do love a good joke!) A poem? Haiku? Anything? Yes, no? My goal is to get at least ONE of my stories up to fifty reviews. I think it will probably happen, because this one is going to be a bit long, and so will Family. Anyhow...I love the warm fuzzies of reviews!

Soooooo, what do we know so far?

Kagome gives Inuyasha the idea that maybe Naraku is looking for something, rather than just trying to buy up all that land to make money.

Two deaths have occurred, both connected to his current site, so he's gonna get security to watch for any more suspicious action.

Kagome's got a WAY bigger journalism story than she originally intended to have.

Inuyasha looks really hot in a suit. Yum.

And, Jenn will get another update in this week, because she really wants to write the next chapter.

Enough mush, Plot! I demand comedy! And…possible action! Down, Plot…down.


	9. New Information

**Chapter Nine**

**New Information**

**o0o**

"Well, I sorta forgot he was coming today."

Inuyasha turned his back on Kagome and peered out into the lobby through the cracked opening in his doorway.

She rolled her eyes. "I don't see what the problem is. I mean…so long as we don't talk too much about the deaths or anything…don't want to traumatize him too much."

He didn't look at her but kept his gaze on Sango's desk, where the little runt was helping himself to Sango's candy dish. He narrowed his eyes. "He's eating all my licorice."

"Oh, would you give it a rest! He's a great kid! I've known him for years. You know, you two could really relate well to one another if you'd just try."

He scoffed and turned toward her with a look of disgust. "Don't even start comparing me to that little wimp."

She scowled and crossed her arms, leaning against the edge of his desk. "He lost his parents when he was a child. He had to sit there and watch while his parents were murdered. He fought them, as small as he was, he fought the killers and he was nearly killed as well. When he gained consciousness he was in a hospital, orphaned and alone and without a penny to his name."

She stared hard at him. "He may be small, but he has just as much strength and courage inside of him as you do. Give him a break."

He ignored the twinge of sympathy he felt tugging at his insides and put on a mulish expression. "Keh. Fine. But what exactly do you want pictures of anyway?"

She smiled. "Oh, of stuff like the lobby, even though most of it is cleaned up by now, and some shots of you while you're in your element."

He gave her a look of incredulity and dropped the Rubix cube he had been fidgeting with back onto his desk. "Element? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm not going to have some kid following me around just snapping away shots of me. It's like you're trying to capture pictures of a wild animal in its natural habitat. This is ridiculous."

"Mr. Silver…"

He whirled around to face her again. "Oh so we're back to that now?"

Kagome looked taken aback at his sudden anger. "I…I don't understand."

He exhaled loudly and stalked over to look out the furthest window from where she was standing. "Forget it, _Miss Higurashi_." The words came out in a sneer.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and saw the look of hurt on her face. He sighed inwardly, but said nothing aloud.

Kagome cleared her throat and shifted. "Mr. Silver, I…" She swallowed when he growled lowly but continued on. "I didn't mean for this to be such a big thing. Really, it's not. It's just that I have to write a huge piece on you, and it's essential that there be some shots with it, nothing much. And…and I'll make sure Shippou is extra quiet, so that you won't even know he's there."

She bit her lip and looked at him with pleading eyes.

He kept flicking short glances in her direction, but never squarely in the face.

'_Don't look her directly in the eyes. Don't do it….' _

He did.

'_Aw, shit.'_

He rolled his own eyes and gave in. "Alright, fine! Just…make sure he stays out of my way."

He watched her clap her hands in delight and take one step toward him before she grew very flustered and stumbled to a stop. She clasped her hands in front of her instead, and with a calm and quiet "Thank you, Inuyasha," she scurried out of his office.

He turned his eyes back toward the window, looking out but not really seeing anything. _'What the hell is wrong with me?' _

He sighed. _'I need to get out more. I swear, one girl hangs around and I suddenly get all…_' He wrinkled his nose, searching for a word. _'Weird.' _

So, it wasn't the best word. It would do.

'_Just…keep your distance, Silver. A permanent attachment is the last thing you need right now.' _

Permanent? Now where had that thought come from?

'_No one is saying anything about permanent! She came, she'll do her little story thing, and then she'll leave. Soon.'_

He nodded._ 'Right. Very soon.' _He looked sadly around his office and then through the open doorway where a certain young woman was animatedly talking to Sango and Shippou.

'_Before I get attached.'_

**o0o**

_What, don't girls talk about what color undergarments they where?_

_I don't know about all women, but this one certainly doesn't_

_So…what color are they?_

_How do I know you're not some perverted old man?_

_I thought you wanted a foreign pen-pal! I told you, I'm Katriana! I'm 18 years old, and I'm from the Netherlands. Now, what color are your undies?_

_Are you sure you're not some perverted old man?_

_Positive._

_Wait…are you a lesbian? Because I don't swing that way_.

"I need to speak with Inuyasha Silver."

Sango looked up from her computer screen where an international chat room was still open.

"Kagura." She glared at her from her seat. "And just why should I allow you in? So you can come harass him again?" She shook her head. "After those last articles? I don't think so."

Kagura scowled in impatience. "It's not about an interview. I have information that he might want."

Sango leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. "What kind of information?"

The woman rolled her eyes but answered. "Information on just what Naraku is looking for in all that property he keeps buying up."

Sango's eyebrows rose. "So he _is_ looking for something." She reached to push the intercom button into Inuyasha's office but froze, finger poised an inch above the machine. She turned and looked at Kagura suspiciously. "Just why are you willing to give this information, anyway?"

Kagura looked her in the eye, and said, completely without anger, "I don't want to be used anymore. I'm tired of these games. I can't be free until someone stops him. Silver can. Now…please let me in."

She looked tired, she looked emotionally beaten, and Sango finally saw her not as their enemy, but as someone caught in the scheme of things, a pawn.

She nodded and pressed the button. "Inuyasha? There's someone here you should see. Right away."

**o0o**

Inuyasha scowled at the woman seated in front of his desk as she sighed.

"I keep telling you, all I know is that it will give him power…lots of it. It's a physical object, I know that much, but I have no clue what it looks like, its size, its shape…nothing." She crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat, staring into the eyes of the man standing behind the large wooden desk in front of her. "And I know that you can't let him get to it first…because then he'll rule over everyone else…" she narrowed her eyes and stared out the window just over Inuyasha's shoulder, "…exactly like he's ruling over me."

Inuyasha stared at her in silence for a moment. _'It's killing her to admit this to me. She's proud…but she's not evil.'_

"Damn."

Kagura raised a brow in question.

He chuckled lowly. "Believe it or not, I have a conscience. And unfortunately, it's refusing to let me show you just how pissed I am with you about how miserable you've made my life in the past few years with all of your media bullshit."

She shot to her feet, leaned over and slapped her hands on his desk, glaring at him and yelling, "I don't want your pity! I don't want _any_ of your damn pity. You can go straight to hell, Silver!"

Inuyasha leaned in so that they were face to face, glaring daggers into one another's eyes. "It's not pity, you stupid bitch! It's respect, so stop your squawking!"

Kagura looked taken aback for a moment, and she blinked a few times at him, gaping slightly.

Inuyasha sighed and stood up straight again, rubbing a clawed hand wearily over his eyes. "It takes a lot to do what you're doing…standing up to him like that, when your life is on the line." He looked up at her again and said very seriously but very quietly, "You know he'll kill you if he finds out, don't you?"

She straightened and nodded slowly. She let a sarcastic smile grace her lips. "To be frank, I'd rather live…but if it comes down to living beneath Naraku's thumb, and dying..." She nodded again, more resolutely this time, "I would rather die in freedom, than live in bondage. Death is a risk I'm willing to take."

Inuyasha nodded to her, and let his respect show in his features. "Let's see if we can avoid that option, all the same."

He scowled, crossed his arms, and turned to stare out the window behind him. "There's been enough death…it's time to take action."

**o0o**

"Is this really necessary?"

Kagura glared disdainfully at the building before her. Inuyasha scowled at her, but continued his way up to the entrance.

"I want someone watching your back, just in case. You don't know that he won't send someone out to kill you."

"I can take care of myself."

Inuyasha held open the glass door for the others to enter. Kagome, Sango, Shippou and Kouga remained still, watching the standoff. "I won't take any chances."

Kagura crossed her arms in stubbornness. "I won't be able to get any information out of him if he sends someone to kill me anyway."

"Yeah, but you might remember something you've seen or heard along the way. Right now you're our best source of inside information, and I won't have you traipsing about unprotected!"

"I told you, I can protect myself! I'm perfectly capab…"

"Damn it, will you just get in here!"

She scowled at him and opened her mouth to argue but Sango cut her off. "Listen…I know he's annoying, and I know he's a pest, but he's a great fighter. And Inuyasha won't shut up until you go through with this, so will you please, for all of our sakes, just accept it and move on?"

Kagura glared at them all in turn before finally sighing loudly and stalking through the door Inuyasha held open for her.

Inuyasha turned to Sango after Kagura entered and smiled evilly. "I'm glad you think so highly of him…because you're going with them." And with that, he went in, allowing the door to close behind him.

Sango took a moment to recover herself before yelling "The hell I will" and charging in after him.

Kouga looked down at the child standing between him and Kagome. "Got your camera ready, Shippou?" He smiled up at the door to Miroku's training facilities before him. "This is going to get really interesting."

**o0o**

Kagome, Kouga and Shippou came to a stop directly inside of the lobby and peered over the shoulders of the still figures in front of them. Kagura, Sango, and Inuyasha were standing completely still, gaping at the sight before them.

Kagome could just make out the open door to Miroku's main fighting area over Inuyasha's shoulder. Through the doorway, she could hear loud music blasting, and could detect Miroku's voice singing loudly, and badly, over it.

She gave Inuyasha a small push in the small of his back to make him move, and she followed him slowly through the doorway and into the main gym. The others filed in after them quietly, and they all froze upon their entrance into the room, gaping at the owner of the facilities.

Kagome could hear Inuyasha mutter under his breath, "What the hell?" The others shrugged silently in response, and Shippou raised his camera slowly to his face and snapped a picture of the dancing man.

It was perhaps the most ridiculous sight any of them had ever encountered. Miroku was mopping the gym floor…or should have been mopping, but was instead taking turns between singing into it like a microphone, and holding it close and dancing wildly with it. And, to top it all off, they could now make out his voice clearly, as he sang with the song at the top of his lungs.

"I'm a bitch, I'm a lover, I'm a something, something , mother, I'm a sinner, I'm a …"

Sango bit her lip and tried her best to stifle a laugh. Kagura sneered and rubbed her temples in exasperation. "You want _that_ to protect me?"

Kouga looked as though Christmas had come early, and he turned excitedly to Shippou, who was holding his camera in a dazed sort of way.

"Don't just stand there! Get as many shots of this as you can! This is priceless!"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, who was letting a slightly disgusted, slightly amused expression grace his features. He glanced at her, caught her grin and they burst forth in fits of laughter.

At their sudden outburst, Miroku spun around and finally noticed their presence. He dropped the mop in his hand and froze, as the song continued blasting.

"_I'm a bitch, I'm a tease…"_

Sango had to lean back against the wall for support in her breathless state of laughter, Kouga was doubled over with his hands on his knees and shoulders shaking. Kagura held an expression of mixed disgust, and alarm, and Inuyasha and Kagome were holding each other up, tears streaming from their eyes, both laughing wildly.

Shippou was still taking pictures.

Miroku blushed and cleared his throat as the song over the speakers positioned throughout the gym faded to an end.

He gave a small embarrassed grin. "H-Hey guys. What's up?"

**o0o**

"Yeah, well, if you don't, I'm confident that Kagura will be sure that those marvelous photos of you dancing with that mop will be plastered all over her next article." Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at his friend who was sipping calmly at his tea in his small staff lounge.

Kagome was seated next to Miroku and she shot Inuyasha a repressing glare before speaking up. "Miroku is an honorable man, and an excellent, intelligent fighter. I'm sure he'll do everything in his power to help, and see that Kagura remains safe, and that we find this…well, whatever it is, before Naraku does."

Miroku sent her a grateful look and nodded smoothly to Kagura. "You have my word. And I won't get in your way, either."

Inuyasha stood. "Good. That's settled." He turned to Kagura. "See what you can find out, and report anything you hear or see to Miroku and Sango."

Sango grumbled and scowled from her seat in the small couch next to Kouga. "I still don't see why I have to go with him."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You're not just watching Kagura's back, here. You're trying to get information. You're spying, all three of you. And when you find anything out, one of you can be sure the message gets to me, while the other can continue watching for anyone who might be trying to hurt Kagura, or any of us for that matter."

He cast a worried glance at Kagome who had Shippou in her lap, and was listening intently to the child as he chattered on about his camera, his school classes, and anything else he could think of.

Miroku saw the look of concern, and when Inuyasha met his eyes again, he nodded his head in understanding. They weren't just protecting Kagura…that was just a mask. Inuyasha had no intention of worrying Kagome, and voicing his feelings out loud, but he knew that the worst was yet to come. They needed to be watching for anyone who might try and harm Kagome, or anyone close to Inuyasha. Sango caught the meaning in their eyes as well, and she finally relented quietly to her task.

Kagura stood. "It's past time for me to get out of here. She shouldered her purse and strode to the door. "I'm going to my apartment." She slipped a piece of paper on to the table. "There's the address, if you're so insistent on going through with this."

Miroku picked it up, glanced at it, and nodded. "Alright. I'm going to go grab some things, and I'll be around." He looked to Sango. "Don't worry about it tonight…I've got things covered."

Sango looked at him steadily for a moment, mentally debating with herself. She sighed and shook her head. "No, there's no reason for you be up the whole night on your own. Just let me swing by my place and then I'll go with you."

They both left the room and Kouga and Kagome stood to follow. After Kagome and Shippou had exited to return to the office, though, Inuyasha held Kouga back. "Well?"

Kouga knew what he was going to ask, but raised his eyebrows in question all the same. "Well, what?"

Inuyasha scowled. "You know what! She's in danger if she's with me, but I'm afraid she'll be in danger if I let her leave. Naraku probably has spies everywhere. He'll know she's been around a lot, and I don't like letting her out of my sight, either." He ran a hand angrily through his bangs and looked around the room in frustration. "I'm screwed either way."

Kouga studied him a moment. "You like her…don't you." It wasn't a question.

Inuyasha swung his head back in Kouga's direction and tried vainly to fight a rising blush. "I don't know what you're talking about. I just don't like seeing people get hurt because of my actions."

Kouga gave a small half-grin. "Yeah, but…she's really gotten to you. I can tell! I don't think I've ever seen you look so at a loss about what to do. She's got your head all turned around!"

Inuyasha clenched his fists menacingly, and Kouga chuckled softly. "Alright, alright. Listen…if she's already in danger, I think the best thing would be for you to keep her in your sight. Besides…if you try and send her off now, you know she won't go. That girl is more stubborn than you…and that's saying something."

Inuyasha gave him a dry look, but eventually nodded in agreement. "It's settled then." He raised an eyebrow. "Did you get those men in place?"

Kouga nodded. "Of course. We have some placed discreetly at the hotel she's staying at, and I've been working with Ginta on increasing security in the building, as well as placing men undercover around the site. I've even got people investigating the history of that piece of land, and the area surrounding it. With Kagura on the inside, and Miroku and Sango both watching Naraku's moves as well, I think we've done the most we can do as far as information goes."

Inuyasha grimaced. "Not quite…I won't be happy until I've checked out this site myself."

**o0o**

A/N:

Yeah, yeah, I know…I was busy! I had finals, and then fall break at home…but now I'm back. And here is a chapter, just for you!

If you don't know the song Bitch...well, sorry. It was out some years ago...cracks me up every time I hear it...I really don't know why. That was inspired by one of my many college students I work with here. He was in the lobby outside my apartment singing it and dancing around...I almost died.

By the way, please review…I get a bit envious sometimes, seeing all the reviews that go to other stories. Even stories I don't like much have loads of reviews. I was kinda hoping mine was decent enough to deserve at least a tiny, iddy, biddy little note!

Ok, done begging now. I just need something to cheer me up. I'm coming down with a cold, so I'm quite unhappy about it. sniffle


	10. History Lessons

Ok, so…I'm sorry. I am! I truly am. I am a horrid person who doesn't update like she should.

I can never EVER make it up to you. Dreadful…truly dreadful.

So, this isn't my best update, and certainly not my longest…but it's an update. A sucky update. But more are to come. Promise. Better ones.

I love you! And thanks for reviewing.

**Chapter Ten**

**History Lessons**

**o0o**

"Well, I'm not complaining. So long as things stay quiet on that end, I'm happy. Let's just hope he still doesn't know."

Kagome glanced up at the man standing next to her, watching his long silver hair fight its restraint, a few locks already free of the tie and dancing in the wind. She cocked her head to one side, trying to determine what he was talking about.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and clenched the phone a little more tightly in his hand. "You idiot, will you quit egging her on? You're gonna end up with worse injuries than a fat lip if you keep groping her like that."

Kagome shook her head and grinned. _'Well, at least now I know who he's talking to…Poor Miroku. He'll never learn.'_ She turned her gaze back to the site and walked slowly forward a few paces, watching for holes and obstacles.

"Ok, well…just don't wear yourselves out either. The last thing we need is for you to fall asleep on the job or something. And be discreet. Call me if anything happens." He snapped the phone shut and slipped it into the pocket of his black pants before joining Kagome.

The site was a disaster. What progress had been made since the last explosion had been demolished. Twisted metal was strewn everywhere, and the entire place reeked of an aura of viciousness. It was like some sort of foreboding warning reminiscent to the bodies of hung criminals that people display in public to demonstrate a lack of tolerance for treachery in times of old.

Kagome shivered. "Quite deliberate, don't you think?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. He was at least a little subtle before. He always made them look like accidents." He kicked a nearby piece of broken concrete gently with the toe of his black shoe. "This was an obvious warning. So was the fountain in my lobby. So were the deaths of Kan and his architect." He shook his head. "He's desperate, and I won't be happy until I find out what it is that he's after."

He walked forward agitatedly and Kagome followed a few steps behind. Inuyasha was running a clawed hand through his hair, pulling even more of the silver strands free of the black tie that he kept low and loose just below the nape of his neck. "I don't get it! It's just land! There really and truly is nothing special about it!"

Kagome shrugged. "So then it's not the land."

He turned and raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

She widened her eyes meaningfully at him and continued with her reasoning. "So it's not the land he's after. It must be something related to it, obviously, but not the land itself. I mean…maybe it's something that is already here, rather than something he wants to build here. Is there anything significant about what is found beneath or in the land?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in thought before shaking his head slowly. "No…not that we know of. We've done analysis reports of it, obviously. There are no water sources, natural resources, or valuable minerals in there. It's just…dirt and rock."

Kagome bit her lip. "Well…I don't know then." She smiled brightly at him. "But I'm going to find out." She turned abruptly and began walking away.

He stared after her. "Hey! HEY! Where are you going?"

She grinned over her shoulder at him and kept walking. "I'm a journalist! It's my job to dig for facts. So…I'm going digging!"

His mouth twitched into a half-smile of reluctant amusement as he hurried to catch up with her.

**o0o**

Kagome furrowed her brows in irritation at the sigh that sounded loudly to her right. She frowned, and focused on the page before her with renewed concentration.

Inuyasha cleared his throat loudly and adjusted his position. Kagome closed her eyes momentarily in frustration and repeated the mantra she had been using in her head for the past hour. _'Don't let him get to you, don't let him get to you, don't let him get to you.'_

_Siiiiiiiiigh._

Her blood pressure hit the roof. "Inuyasha, if you want to go, just go!" she hissed furiously at him, her voice slowly rising with her temper. "But for the love of everything good and green in this world, I cannot take your constant distractions any more!"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She glared at him and tried to ignore the scandalized looks of other library patrons as they watched her outburst unabashedly.

She made a heroic attempt at reigning in her frustration, and took a deep breath. "Inuyasha…I know that this isn't your thing. You are a man of action. I can respect that. But right now, we need to get some information."

He shrugged embarrassedly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I just…I hate just sitting here when that bastard is out there running around as we speak."

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "Listen…I can stay here by myself. I'm a big girl. I just want to do some research on the history of the area. And you – well, you were obviously not meant to be cooped up in a library for hours on end."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm not leaving you here alone."

She returned his glare with an exaggerated eye-roll. "I'll be fine! It's a library. Nothing happens in libraries."

He crossed his arms and let his stubbornness shine through. Kagome caught her chance when she heard a loud rumbling sound. She smiled. "Inuyasha…you know what we could really use? Some food!"

He shook his head. "Uh uh. Not leaving you alone."

She gave him her biggest doe eyes and let her lower lip tremble. "Please? Inuyasha I'm soooo hungry. You won't be gone long! Just long enough to pick up some take-out, and I'll check out some more books, and then we can go. I promise."

Inuyasha looked reluctant, but he finally caved in. "Alright. But I'll only be gone fifteen minutes. And then we're leaving."

Kagome nodded in agreement.

"And you don't leave…you stay in here. Inside the building. You don't talk to anyone, and you stay in plain sight."

She rolled her eyes again but smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here waiting when you get back."

He cast her one last suspicious look before standing, pushing in his chair, and striding quickly from the library.

Kagome watched his long silver hair swing around the corner and out of sight before sighing with relief. _'Finally. Peace and quiet. Alright, Kagome, time's a-wasting.' _

**o0o**

"You know, it's impossible to concentration when you're prowling like that."

"I'm not prowling."

Kagome glanced up over her reading glasses at the man pacing back and forth from the table covered in empty take-out boxes, to the open window on the far side of the room.

She shook her head and went back to reading. "Yeah, whatever."

He narrowed his eyes at her and forced himself to sit down on the couch.

Kagome was propped up against the headboard of her hotel bed. The room was small, but comfortable, holding a couch just inside the door with a television set opposite it. There was a screen dividing the room, though not completely. On the other side of the screen was a small round table next to the large windows, and the bed against the wall opposite the table. Just now, the screen was folded to its smallest point, giving the room a more open air and making it seem larger.

He shifted his position on the couch, folding his legs in front of him and tapping impatient claws against the armrest next to him. Kagome grinned to herself. "You could come help me read, you know."

He stopped his tapping and looked at her blankly. She let the book lay against her legs in front of her and smiled brightly over at him. "Come on, I'll give you the fun stuff."

He raised a doubtful brow. "Fun?"

"Yeah…you see I figured it wouldn't hurt to cover all our bases. So, I'm checking the history of the area…old ledgers and journals of the area shrines. It's all pretty dull. But, I figured it wouldn't hurt," she pulled up a large, old book from the bed next to her and waved it at him, "to check the legends as well."

He cocked his head to one side and Kagome almost giggled at how his adorable ears twitched in intrigue. "Legends?"

"Yes, you know…the myths. The stories. Most of them are just tales, but…many are somehow rooted in fact, even if they've grown to fantastic proportions over the years. Anyhow, it's much more interesting to read stories than it is old history articles."

She wiggled the book at him again, and he took the bait. He unfolded his frame from the low couch and sauntered across the room, reluctant to show interest, but intrigued all the same. She smiled gently and held the book out to him. Inuyasha took it and looked from the cover, to Kagome, to the cover again.

He gave in and opened the cover before turning slowly to head back over to the couch. Kagome bit her lip before speaking.

"Inuyasha?"

He grunted without looking up from the page he had started, but stood still, a few feet from the bed, slightly turned toward her to show he was listening.

Kagome blushed. "I was just, well…I mean you can…" She stared furiously down at the page open in front of her before letting the words out in a rush, "You can come and join me over here if you like."

She stared hard at the book propped against her raised knees and tried to fight the hot flush that was creeping painfully up her neck and to her face.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him raise his head from his book slightly. She refused to meet his gaze, and was just about to open her mouth and somehow try and fix her foolishness when he jerkily moved to the other side of the bed and sat down next to her. He leaned back against the headboard and mimicked her position on the far side of the bed.

Kagome let out the breath she was holding and felt the painfully hot blush temper down into a pleasantly warm glow inside her.

She smiled softly to herself and went back to reading. Just out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw him smile a little too.

**o0o**

Kagome removed her reading glasses from her face and rubbed tiredly at the bridge of her nose before turning to look at the man next to her.

He was sound asleep. She grinned and took the opportunity to examine him closely. He had fallen asleep sitting up, his head tilted back slightly against the headboard, one knee propped up in front of him and his other long leg stretched out before him. One hand rested on the open book leaning against his upraised knee, the other across his softly rising stomach.

She watched him breathe softly, watched his hand move up and down with every breath of air. She looked at his face and admired his thick black lashes against his cheeks, his tousled bangs ruffled over his forehead. His mouth was just slightly parted, and Kagome found herself staring avidly at his lips.

She shook her head violently. _'No, Kagome. Don't go there.'_

She frowned. _'But…what would be the harm?'_

'_What about your story?'_ she argued with herself.

'_What about it?'_

'_You can't be an objective journalist if you fall for the one you're writing about.'_

'_But…would it really hurt the story if I did fall for him? Honestly?'_

'…_No…I suppose it wouldn't.'_

'_Then where's the harm?'_

She sighed inwardly. _'He's attached to his work. He's pigheaded. He's easily angered, and closed off.'_

'…_and intelligent, strong, brave, honorable, and …really, really hot.'_

She grinned. _'Can't argue with that logic.'_

She bit her lip. '_And could he ever like someone … someone like me?'_

She smiled a small, sad half-smile and reached out a hand to smooth his bangs gently away from his eyes.

The realization was just starting to dawn on her that there was an incredibly handsome man asleep in her bed and she was rapidly was formulating half-crazy thoughts on the matter when she glanced down at the page he had been reading.

Her eyes widened and she moved his hand gently aside to read more of the page and gasped.

Kagome looked from the page to the sleeping hanyou beside her and whispered softly, "Inuyasha…you found it."

**o0o**

Ok…it was shorter than most. But the next one is fun. Yay! We get to find out all about how the story is tying together….woooo! And a nice little legend to explain it all. I think. I don't know, I haven't written it yet.

I'll be updating more frequently now. Sorry, again!


	11. The Lost Legend and The Lovers' Spat

I suck, I know it. I don't even have an excuse. I'm just…so sorry. Here, an update.

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Lost Legend and The Lovers' Spat**

**o0o**

'_You know, you could just, kinda pretend to have_ accidentally _fallen asleep. I mean…he would wake up and think the whole thing was an accident!'_

Kagome shook her head.

'_No…no, that is so inappropriate!'_

She bit her lip and looked longingly at the figure lying asleep before her, contemplating waking him up so that he could go back to his appropriate bed…far and safely away from her own.

'_But he looks so…sweet.'_

She closed her eyes and made up her mind. Carefully she readjusted herself to lie down, cradling her head on the pillow.

Once situated, Kagome assessed her situation. There was nearly a full foot between herself and Inuyasha. Perfectly appropriate. She lay there for some time, in the still and peaceful darkness of the comfortable hotel room. The old legend of the nearby shrine…how could she have forgotten it? Her grandfather once told her stories of the ancient legends, and that of the shrine that held the power of good and evil was one of his favorites.

"_But Grandfather, how can one building hold all that is good and evil?"_

_Her grandfather looked kindly down at a seven year-old Kagome, leaning back against the large old tree that stood in the center of their family's own shrine. "It didn't hold all of good and evil, Kagome. It only held the greatest power of it…concentrated essences."_

_He lowered his old body to sit next to hers and looked off in the distance as he spoke, as though he were looking back on the occasion like he had actually been there. "Two great beings once roamed Japan. A woman and a beast. The woman was just and kind, a healer and priestess. She was wise, and loved the villagers she protected and helped along her journey. And the beast was a strong and powerful demon. Like the woman, he traveled the lands, but he did so to take power for himself, not to help others. He was selfish and ruthless, killing and destroying without a second thought. One fateful day, the woman and the demon crossed paths. In order to save the village she was living in, she fought the demon. But the demon's power was great. Her wisdom and ingenuity were greater still, and she sacrificed herself to save the people."_

_Kagome looked up at her grandfather with wide eyes full of sadness and fright. "But how did she do it, Grandfather? And why? Why would she sacrifice herself for a bunch of people she didn't even know?"_

_He smiled gently down at her. "Because she was good, Kagome. She loved. And her love and devotion and the power of her goodness allowed her to trap both herself and the demon, locking them both in an endless battle. They say that they were encased in a jewel…a jewel that can give power only to those who are truly good, or to those who are full of evil. When in the hands of those who are full of hate and destruction, the power that the beholder will have is unimaginably terrible. But when in the hands of one who is good, one who can purify the evil within the jewel…it is said to be greater than anything the world has ever known."_

"_But can anyone be that good, Grandfather? Can anyone love and care and be that perfect?"_

_He chuckled. "You don't have to be perfect, Kagome. No one is. But can anyone have that much love…so much that they would sacrifice themselves for another? That remains to be seen."_

Kagome let her memories carry her to her dreams, and they were filled at once with fleeting and blurred images of the bodies of the dead people hanging from a ceiling beam, explosions of stone and tile, the face of an innocent little girl, a sparkling jewel shimmering with light, and strange sparkling strands of silver floating before her eyes.

**o0o**

Inuyasha tapped his foot agitatedly and checked his watch once more.

'_8:30…damn.'_

He jabbed a few more times at the elevator button, willing it to move faster. At last he heard the faint and musical '_ping'_ as the doors opened, and he slid hurriedly into the foyer and toward the glass office doors.

He kept his eyes focused on the floor, and he willed himself not to blush as he strode quickly through the reception area and straight toward the large oak doors of his office. He heard Sango clear her throat pointedly, and just as pointedly he ignored her.

Once inside, he shut his office doors firmly behind him and ran a clawed hand through his ruffled and loose silver hair. He heard the doors open again behind him and mentally cursed again.

'_Damn, damn, damn.'_

"So…I tried to stop by your place last night to give you an update after my little 'guarding' shift. But, wouldn't you know it, you just didn't seem to be home."

Inuyasha could hear the smirk in her voice and he groaned inwardly. "I was out."

Sango actually let out a short laugh at this. "Yeah…I noticed."

He turned finally and looked at her over his shoulder, giving her the best 'Mind Your Own Damn Business' glare he could muster, but she just grinned more widely at him and hopped nimbly to sit on his desk. He rolled his eyes and turned his back to her once more.

"I also happened to notice that you came in late this morning."

He made a small noise of irritation, but otherwise did his best to ignore her, pulling out random blueprints from an upcoming project that he currently cared very little about. He held them up in front of his face and tried to look busy, hoping Sango would get the hint and leave.

She didn't, of course.

"I also notice," she hopped down from his desk and slid up in front of him, tugging playfully at his shirt collar, "that you're wearing the same exact clothes you wore yesterday."

Inuyasha growled loudly and moved away from her, tossing the prints onto his desk as he headed toward his office doors again.

Sango followed him out to her desk, where she found him reaching into the jar on her desk to grab a stick of candy. She could hear him muttering under his breath about "nosey assistants" and needing cigarettes. "Not even any damn coffee in this stupid place."

"So is it just coincidence that both you and Kagome were late this morning?"

He avoided eye contact but the blush creeping slowly up his face was unavoidable.

"So did you two get _any_ sleep?"

"ARRGH! We fell asleep, ok? Nothing happened!" He slammed the lid back onto the candy jar, and clenched his fists. "We were researching, I fell asleep, she must have fallen asleep…NOTHING HAPPENED!"

Kagome, always with perfect timing, chose to step into the office just as he shouted these last two words at the top of his lungs. She immediately turned red and, biting her lip, cleared her throat softly to announce her presence. She was staring at the carpet beneath her feet, but she could feel Inuyasha shift his gaze over to her seconds before he strode quickly into his office and slammed the doors behind him.

Sango looked over at the uncomfortable girl and shrugged. "I think I might have embarrassed him…just a bit."

**o0o**

Once inside his office, Inuyasha slumped into his chair, set his elbows on his desk and cradled his head in his hands.

'_Damn that Sango…nothing happened!'_

He thought back on his surprising wake-up that morning.

_Inuyasha breathed in deeply, savoring that feeling one has just upon awakening…that moment where you're still mostly asleep, but you're actually conscious of being still mostly asleep. He could detect a pleasantly soft scent of freshness…like flowers, or rain, or, well…something fresh. He breathed it in once again, before blearily opening his eyes. _

_Sunlight filtered in through the half-closed blinds and he could see it shimmering lightly on the long, shiny black hair before him. He smiled slightly, and reached a lazy hand out to run his fingers gently through the strands. 'Pretty,' he through dreamily. _

_He shut his eyes again and let his hand rest on the pillow, his fingers wound in the silky tendrils. _

_And then reality shot through his brain like a bolt lightening, a triple shot of pure caffeine, and an electric shock all combined into one eye-opening element. His eyes immediately shot open, and he was up and standing next to the bed in a half-second's time. _

"_SHIT." _

_His eyes opened impossibly wider, and he clapped his hands over his mouth, listening to the loud oath reverberate in the air and staring at the figure on the bed. 'Please don't wake up, please don't wake up.'_

_Kagome rolled over and cuddled the pillow Inuyasha had just abandoned closer to her, but remained asleep. _

_Inuyasha moved his hands from his mouth to pull at the forelocks of his hair, all the while mentally cursing. 'Shit, shit, shit!'_

_He looked frantically around the room before bolting for the door. He had just made it through, and was about to shut it behind him, when he noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes. _

_He growled lowly, and snuck back into the room, eyes scanning the hotel carpeting. 'Shoes, shoes, shoes…where are my shoes?' _

'_There!' He saw one toe peeking out from beneath some of the bedcovers that were draping down to the floor. He hurried over, snagged them neatly in one hand, and bolted for the exit._

Inuyasha groaned into his hands. He was already late to work and he knew he had an extra set of clothing in his office, so he went straight there, hoping Sango would be too tired from her earlier guard shift to notice. Of course, he was wrong.

He thrust himself out of his chair and to the small closet in the corner of the room. He pulled a spare shirt from one of the hangers inside and slammed the door shut again. He had just finished buttoning the new shirt when there was a timid knock on the door.

Kagome poked her head in. He immediately crossed the room, sat down in his chair, grabbed the blueprints he had dropped on his desk earlier and made himself look busy to hide his embarrassment.

"Mr. Silver?"

"Inuyasha." He didn't look up from the prints, but Kagome could see his ears twitch in her direction.

"Right…Inuyasha." She cleared her throat nervously. "Um, can I come in?"

"Suit yourself."

She made her way to one of the chairs in front of his desk and swallowed hard once before plopping the large book in her hands decidedly on his desk.

Inuyasha jumped at the noise and dropped the prints.

"Good," Kagome gave him the most professional look she could muster and stared him straight in the eye. "Now that I have your attention, I think we need to discuss some things."

Inuyasha rubbed a hand tiredly over his eyes. _'Why do I feel so drained? It certainly wasn't from lack of sleep…'_ He let that thought die out as he felt yet another blush heat his cheeks.

"I think we both need to be mature and professional about this. We were working and researching, and we just both fell asleep. It was an accident, end of story."

"_I_ know that! You don't have to get all defensive about it!"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "_I'm_ not getting all _'defensive'_ about it! _You're_ the one who's acting all flustered and upset this morning!"

"Feh! What makes you say that?"

"Because you're yelling at me, you're avoiding looking me in the eyes, Sango said you've been all keyed up about it this morning, and you missed a button in your shirt and you haven't even noticed it!" By the time she was done she was on her feet and yelling with a finger pointed an inch from his face. She cleared her throat, calmed herself, and sat back down again.

He grinned smugly at her. "_Now_ who's all keyed up?"

She glared at him before looking pointedly down at his shirt buttons.

He followed her gaze and swore once before fixing them.

She rolled her eyes and opened the book she had set upon the desk. "What I came in to show you was this." She pointed to a paragraph halfway down a worn and dog-eared page. "Here," she turned the book around so that it was facing him and slid it toward him with a half-smile. "You, um…you fell asleep with your hand on this page. I read it, and…well, I think you found it."

Inuyasha looked down at the page before him. He honestly had no idea what he had read the night before. All he could think about at the time was,_ 'Shit, I'm in a hotel room with her…in the same bed…did she just move closer to me? She has her hand on the bed between us…she doesn't expect me to hold it does she? Shit, damn, shit! Maybe she's just being friendly. I'm not supposed to get involved with this girl! She'd probably turn out to be a nuisance anyway…I think she's looking at me again!' _And, so on and so forth. Every now and again he had remembered to turn a page, but there hadn't been much reading going on.

He began to read the paragraph before a sudden thought gripped him. _'Wait a second…'_

He raised his eyes to look at the woman across from him. She shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

He narrowed his gaze in speculation. "Did you say…that I fell asleep with my hand here?"

She looked everywhere but at the golden eyes across from her. "Um…yes?"

He smirked. "So you _knew_ I was asleep, but you didn't bother to wake me?"

Kagome closed her eyes in either terror or humiliation. Or both. Either way, she didn't answer.

His smirk grew. "So…instead of waking me you just…what? Read the page and curled up next to me?"

By this time Kagome was beet red and ready to melt into a puddle on the floor. "I wouldn't say that."

He gave an all-out obnoxious smile. "Oh…I would."

She glared at him now. "I felt bad about keeping you up so late! So I just…slept on the far side. _It's a big bed_!" she yelled defensively. "I just…argh, I didn't think it'd be that big a deal!"

Inuyasha leaned back in his leather chair and propped his feet arrogantly on the desk. "You like me."

She started at this. "_What?_"

He shrugged and folded his arms behind his head. "Don't feel bad…most women just can't seem to resist my charm."

Kagome's jaw dropped and she leaped to her feet. "You arrogant, self-absorbed bastard! My feelings for you have nothing to do with what happened last night!" She stopped and clapped a hand over her mouth.

Inuyasha immediately jumped on that statement. "Feelings for me? Really? And what would those be?" He gave her another cocky grin.

Somewhere deep inside, he knew he was going too far. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he was truly excited to hear that there might be some potential connection between the two of them. But he was also too afraid, too embarrassed, and definitely too caught up in taking the upper hand in the current situation to realize any of this. He had found a way for her to be embarrassed rather than himself, and he was running with it.

"I…I didn't mean that! I was just…I was tired from dealing with all your whining that evening and didn't want to wake you up to hear more of it!"

He closed his eyes and leaned further back in his chair. "Sure. You keep telling yourself that if it helps get you through the day. Just don't be too hard on yourself. I usually have to fight women off with a…_AARGH_!" He finally tilted back too far. His chair tipped back causing Inuyasha, the chair, and whatever Inuyasha tried to grab onto before he fell, crashing to the ground.

She stomped around the desk and glared down at him. Inuyasha was fumbling to come to a standing position again but froze upon looking at her. She threw the book down on him, and he was startled to see tears in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself, shut it again, and promptly turned on her heel and left the office.

He let his head thump back against the floor. _'I went too far.'_

He sighed. "Damn."

**o0o**

Kagome watched the tiny cars and the even smaller people as they milled about below her. Another strong wind whipped around her and she tucked her hair behind her ears again. A pointless act, really, because only seconds later it was billowing around her again.

She could still feel her face burning, despite the cold wind that chapped her cheeks. _'Let it go, Kagome. He was probably just as embarrassed as you.'_

She sat down on the hard cement roof of the skyscraper that held Inuyasha Silver's headquarters. _'Surely that's why he lashed out like that. I've never known him to be flat-out mean like that before_.'

She shook her head sadly and stared out at the horizon. _'It was still no excuse. He made me feel so…small.'_

She wiped angrily at her eyes. _'I hate crying!'_

She yelled out over the city, hoping to relieve some of her pent-up anger. "Inuyasha, YOU JERK!"

"I know."

She jumped, and whirled around where she sat. Long silver hair whipped about his face, and he held the book in his left hand. His golden eyes looked apologetic, but Kagome was in no mood to be forgiving. She turned her back to him, and wrapped her arms the legs she had bent up toward her chest. Thankfully, she was in a pant suit today, because she was sure she'd be freezing if she were up here in a skirt.

Inuyasha sighed and moved to sit beside her. He leaned back with his legs stretched before him, propping his body on his hands. "I'm sorry, Kagome."

She didn't reply, and he crossed his legs and leaned forward, trying to get her to look at him. "I acted like an arrogant bastard. I made you miserable so that I wouldn't have to feel so embarrassed. And…I'm sorry."

Kagome took a deep breath and slowly let it out before finally looking at him. "I thought…I thought I was your friend. And you made me feel…you made me feel worthless, I guess. You belittled me. Like…like I was just some stupid girl with a crush."

He closed his eyes and sighed again before looking back at her. "I know. And…we _were _friends… _are_ friends." He looked at her in question.

She took the peace offering and gave him a small smile. "Are friends."

He grinned in return. "I, uh…I read the legend. You really think it pertains to that site?"

She nodded, and turned slightly to face him, legs crossed before her. "Yeah, you see…my grandfather used to tell me this story…."

**o0o**

Sango turned around, shutting the roof door quietly behind her before making her way back down the maintenance steps to Kouga who was still waiting at the bottom. She grinned. "I think they patched things up."

He grinned back. "Good. It's one thing having Inuyasha storming around and yelling. It's another thing entirely to hear Kagome shrieking too." He shuddered and Sango laughed.

"Come on. We still have work to do. Not all of us can sit on the roof and chat all day."

**o0o**

There. Full of fuzzy relationship goodness, and actual plot. Yay for plot.

Leave me something to let me know if you're actually still reading this!


	12. Coming to Light

**Chapter Twelve**

**Coming to Light**

**o0o**

"No, she's fine. Of course, she's standing right in front of me. No, we weren't seen, what kind of idiot do you take me for. …Oh, ha ha." Miroku rolled his eyes and snapped his phone shut before turning to the woman in front of him.

She raised an eyebrow. "So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Inuyasha and Kagome have a hunch as to what Naraku is looking for."

This peaked Kagura's interest. "So what is it? Is it really at that site?"

Miroku shook his head. "They're not exactly sure as to whether or not it's the location, but there's good reason to believe it is. And obviously, and more importantly, Naraku seems convinced it's there as well." He shifted his stance, glancing around the abandoned alley before meeting her eyes again. "They want to know whether or not you're still comfortable working under Naraku like this…Inuyasha is perfectly willing to pay for you to leave for a while until this all clears up."

She shook her head decidedly, her eyes flashing. "No. I want to help bring that bastard down. After all he's put me through?" She shook her head again. "No."

Miroku sighed. "Alright, then. If that's the case, it's time to get a little deeper. We have a lead now, which is good…but it could get more dangerous. If you ask the wrong questions or get caught snooping…"

She smirked. "I'm careful. Don't worry."

He rolled his eyes as she walked away, back into the light of the street. "Don't worry, she says….One false move and Naraku knows we're on to him and his jewel-hunting and he goes ahead and kills us all off." He reached into his pocket for his cell once again, ready to inform Sango of their continued guard duty.

**oOo **

Inuyasha growled and batted at the various hands flitting about his face. "We don't have time for this!"

Kagome didn't look up from the notebook in her hands where she was frantically scribbling out lines. "Do you want him to know you're on to him?"

He glared over at her, and swatted away the woman who was frantically trying to tame his hair with a comb and hairspray. The spray bottle misfired into his eyes and he howled. "Damn it! What the hell, are you trying to blind me?"

Kagome finally looked up and shook her head, scowling. "Well if you'd quit fighting them off, it would go much more quickly. It's your own fault. They're only trying to make you look presentable for your press conference. Speaking of…" She leaned over to peer out the crack in the door next to her. "Wow…quite the turn-out." She quickly reread the lines before her, a worried look in her eyes. "I think it's ok…."

Inuyasha snatched the paper from her hands. "I'm sure it's fine." Without looking at what she had written he stepped to the door. One hand on the handle, he paused and took a deep breath, looking downward. He let the breath out slowly, shook his head and muttered "God, I hate reporters…" before stepping into the flashing lights and before the rumbling crowd.

He made his way to the podium and waited until Sango, Kouga, and Kagome were against the wall to the side of the room before clearing his throat. The microphone rang with slight feedback for a moment before subsiding into silence. The reporters stilled, save for the occasional flash of a camera or crinkling of a page of paper. The lights were hot and Inuyasha felt a bead of sweat already form and run down the back of his neck.

'_Damn.'_ He looked around at the full room. _'Damn, damn.'_

His eyes flicked over to Kagome and she gave him an encouraging smile. She widened her eyes and nodded to him. He took another breath and began to read the words in front of him. He hardly heard himself. All he could think about was how pretty her handwriting was.

'_Focus, you idiot.' _

"Yes, we will continue building. I won't let the selfishness of underhanded competitors stand in the way of true progress in this city. I won't let these attacks hold us back. I won't let fear dominate us. We are a company of integrity…of honor. I promised better facilities…a better neighborhood…a better city. I stand before you now, telling you this: I **will** fulfill that promise."

'_Hey…she's actually pretty good.' _

The flashing of cameras accompanied the sudden rush of reporters to their feet. A flow of questions followed him as he turned and strode purposefully off the stage and out the side door while Sango and Kouga both stepped forward to take control. He heard Kagome come through the door and shut it behind her, closing off the noise from the conference room.

He looked over his shoulder at her. She was beaming brightly. "Inuyasha you were wonderful! Just wonderful! And Naraku won't have any clue that we're on to him. It all sounded just like he was only out to hurt your business."

She bounced on the balls of her feet and he grinned in response. "That was some solid writing, Kagome." His smile faded a little before turning and looking out the window down on the streets below his building. "I wish I could actually talk to people like that. I just get so flustered when it comes to communicating. Everything always comes out wrong."

She stepped silently next to him and leaned forward, peering into his face until he finally met her gaze. She smiled softly and placed a hand on one of his crossed arms. "Not everything comes out wrong." She squeezed his forearm lightly. "And thank you. That means a lot to me." She laughed lightly. "I know you never give out shallow flattery."

She let her arm fall and leaned against the window pane. "So…what's next?"

Inuyasha grinned. "Next…we go digging. Only not this library shit that you're so obsessed with. We do some **real** digging."

She rubbed her hands together. "At least now you're including me! Gave up trying to leave me behind?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't tempt me, woman."

**oOo**

"A pink one."

"That's stupid."

"Pleeeeeeeeasse?"

"No. I'm not asking."

"Inuyaaaashaaaa…." She batted long eyelashes up at him.

He groaned and rolled his eyes before turning to the clerk. He cleared his throat, blushing slightly, before asking him, "So…um…do you have any of those in pink?"

The clerk raised a brow at him before catching Inuyasha's dark look and quickly rearranging his features into calm dispassion. "Let me just go check for you, sir."

Inuyasha glared at the girl next to him. "I can't believe I just asked him to check for a pink hardhat. That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. I mean, who would ever want to buy a…"

"Here you are sir." Inuyasha looked down at the hat held before him. Kagome danced on her toes beside him. He snatched it from the man's hands, mumbled something about what the world of construction was coming to these days, and thrust the abomination into Kagome's grabby fingers.

The clerk shuffled his feet nervously and cleared his throat. "Will that be all, sir?"

"Don't forget the boots," Kagome whispered to him.

"Oh, right. She needs some workboots as well." He cast a disdainful eye at her polka-dot flats.

She elbowed him and tapped the hat.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Inuyasha, they really should match, don't you think?" She gave him one more pleading look before he growled in frustration, turning back to the clerk.

"Do you…have those in pink as well."

**oOo**

"I don't know what you're so grumpy about, Inuayasha. They look fabulous!" She did a happy little dance in the dirt, her pink work boots and matching pink hardhat standing out at the construction site like a sore thumb.

"It was embarrassing. I have to buy supplies from that company all the time. And now they'll all be laughing about how I came in and requested pink supplies. PINK, Kagome!"

She shrugged him off. "It's not like you actually buy supplies there in person. That's probably the first time you've even been in there!"

He gave her a disgruntled look before turning his attention back to the site before him. "That's not the point."

"Are you two going to argue all day?" Sango strolled closer to the duo, clad in simple jeans and a jacket. "Oh, Kagome…I LOVE your outfit!"

Inuyasha cast a dirty eye at her. "Where have you been?"

"Right where I'm supposed to be, Grumpy-pants. I was on guard duty all night and into this morning. Miroku just took over for me so I can have a few hours to nap and then we're both pulling duty together for the evening. Kagura has some errands she has to run for Naraku and we both want to be on scene. He called her in for a meeting with him once she's done."

Inuyasha nodded. "I don't think he suspects anything yet, but…be careful."

Sango wrapped an arm around him and squeezed. "Awww…always the protective brother." He rolled his eyes at her as she strode back to her car and one of the crewman hurried toward him.

"What is it?"

"Sir, we've hit solid rock."

Inuyasha shrugged. "So drill."

The man before him scratched his head beneath his hardhat. "That's the thing, sir. We did."

Inuyasha gave him an impatient look. "Well?"

"I, uh…I think you should come take a look for yourself."

Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged glances before following the man deeper toward the middle of the site. Mounds of dirt stood high around them, mangled bits of metal from the last disaster still being pulled to the side. What was already cleared away stood in a tall, twisted heap of steel remains. Inuyasha knew that his guards were in place discreetly all around the site, but he couldn't help but worry, his eyes darting at each moving, always looking for danger or sabotage.

They had kept the impression of continuing to build, while in actuality they were digging deep into the foundation of the site. In order to keep from raising Naraku's suspicions, the guard duty couldn't be as heavy as he would have liked. He kept just enough in place to make it look like they were trying to avoid any more sabotage. He had also hand-picked and completely replaced the crew that was originally on the site. He didn't want any traitors.

They reached one of the drilling sites, and Inuyasha stopped and stared at the machine before him. "What the hell happened!?"

The machine was crumbling, covered in rust.

"That's a good question, sir. There shouldn't be any sort of rock that could do this to a drill but…something's down there and it's putting up one hell of a fight."

Inuyasha turned sharply to him. "What do you mean, putting up a fight? It's just rock, isn't it?"

The man shifted. "That's the thing sir…it isn't just the rock. I mean…we've sent four men home sick. Three more are sitting over there at the edge of the site, trying to recoup. Something is…strange about this spot. No one can get near it. And when we tried to drill, the whole machine…it started to rust and crumble. Rock doesn't do that sir…."

Inuyasha and the man turned at the sudden cry and rush of workers to their right. Someone had collapsed on the ground near the site. Inuyasha saw the glint of pink plastic and cursed. A sudden rush of panic filled him as he raced over, pushing workers out of his way.

He fell to his knees next to the girl, grabbing her shoulders. "Kagome? Kagome are you alright?"

Her eyes were closed and she was deathly still, but her skin was burning hot. He could feel it through her clothing where he gripped her. "Damn it, Kagome…"

He yelled randomly to one of the workers. "Don't just stand there, get help!"

As his face was turned toward the man, he saw him gasp and jump away. But the crew member wasn't looking at Inuyasha. He was looking down at Kagome. Inuyasha turned and gasped as well.

Kagome…was glowing.

"Kagome? Kagome wake up!" His eyes frantically scanned her body as he struggled to quell his rising upset. There was an almost pulsing light emanating from her skin...a soft whitish glow coming from her skin. And suddenly, it stopped.

His eyes roved her face and he let out his held breath in relief as her eyelids fluttered open. "Damn it, Kagome. You scared the shit out of me." His voice was soft and when it cracked, he didn't even flush in embarrassment. All that he cared about was that she was awake, and looking at him. The heat from her body seemed to lessen. She was no longer burning hot.

She smiled up at him. "Sorry. I seem to always cause you trouble, don't I?"

He gave her a half smile in return. "Yeah. You do. I guess you're worth it, though."

"Sir?"

Inuyasha looked up at the crewman who had pulled him to the digging area to begin with.

"Sir, you should come look at this."

The workers parted, and there, only five feet from where Kagome had fallen, a large crack split the stoney earth.

Inuyasha held Kagome back behind him as he went closer to inspect it. "It must go down at least a couple hundred feet!"

He looked back up to the face of his men. "Get the supplies we'll need to go down there. But I don't want any of you men near this spot. It's too dangerous. I'll go in myself." With a glance at Kagome he added, "But not today. The guards stay, but the rest of you go home. No one comes near this spot, got it?" They all nodded and he turned to leave, putting an arm around Kagome and taking her with him.

**oOo**

She cleared her throat as they walked to the car. "You're going in yourself?"

"Yep."

"Isn't that a little dangerous?"

"Of course it is. Why else do you think I'm doing it. I'm not asking anyone to go in there for me. I fight my own battles."

She smiled at him. He was walking more slowly than usual, and she knew it was because he was still worried about her and didn't want to push her. He had kept his arm around her back too...nothing too intimate, just a protective and supportive gesture. That didn't stop the warmth of his touch sending butterflies fluttering in her stomach, though. His brow was furrowed, and she could tell he was distressed. She placed a hand on his chest to stop him. He did stop, looking down at her in surprise.

"I'm sorry I scared you.'

His eyes left hers as he looked distractedly around, trying not to look embarrassed and failing miserably.

"I...I don't know what happened. I was just looking around with some of the workers and then...this amazing heat came over me. It didn't hurt. It just felt...strong. And then...I woke up. And you were there, looking all upset. And...I'm sorry. I don't ever want to see that look on your face again. I'm so sorry."

He looked down at her. "Then quit doing shit to worry me! Damn it, Kagome! All you do is get into trouble, and it just pisses me off even more that it's because of me that you're around to get in trouble in the first place! You could be safely writing some silly article about someone else, but no, you're here with the one person in the whole city who seems to have everyone out to..."

She rose up on her toes and kissed him. She couldn't take him blaming himself anymore, and...and well, he was just so cute when he was all upset and rambling on like that. Either way it made her happy, and made him shut up. Both very good things.

His lips were soft, even if the rest of his body was stiff with surprise. She stood there on her toes, hands braced on his biceps, lips pressed against his and suddenly wondering whether or not she had made a huge mistake. But then the tension went out of him, and she felt his hands on her sides and he was gently kissing her back. It was so simple and sweet...almost platonic, save the emotions that each of them held in check.

And then she was back on her feet, a slight blush on each of their cheeks. She gave him a shy smile. "Let's go."

He nodded silently and walked her to the car.

Once in the car, she fiddled with the belt buckle as he started the engine and pulled out of the parking area. Biting her lip, she mentally suggested and quickly tossed out phrase after phrase, trying to find something to say to him.

She turned quickly to look at him as he cleared his throat.

"I, uh...I don't want you to get the wrong idea but...perhaps you should stay with me until this is all over with." He looked quickly from her to the road. "I just mean that...I..." He grew flustered and let some anger into his voice. "I don't want you getting into trouble, and I think you'd be safer if you were with me. That's all. And I can't stay at the hotel with you, it wouldn't look right. But I have Sango's extra room and my place is more private than a hotel..." His eyes flew open in alarm and he hurried on, agitated, "Not that we need privacy! I just mean, there aren't all those clerks and people watching us come in and out and...ah, shit."

She giggled. "Inuyasha, calm down. I know what you mean. It's probably a good idea. Then you don't have to have those guards at the hotel."

He shot her a surprised look before looking back at the road. She laughed again. "I'm not stupid, Inuyasha. And neither are you. I knew you had guards there." She smiled down at her hands as she continued playing with the seatbelt strap. "And I'd argue with you and tell you I don't need all the protection, and that it's not necessary to stay at your place, and that I'm just being a burden but..." She looked up at him. "I know it wouldn't do any good. Because you're a good, honorable man."

She patted his arm gently. And because she turned to watch out the window as he drove, she didn't see the look of appreciation and tenderness he gave her.

Both were quiet for the rest of the drive, each thinking similar thoughts. Until he had seen her fall, deathly still on the ground, he hadn't realized quite how close she had become to him. And until she had seen the tortured look on his face when she opened her eyes, she hadn't realized just how important it was to her that she never saw him look unhappy again.

**oOo**

Look! Warm fuzziness!

Changed my name. Sorry. Just had a tangled mess with the last one. Aaaaaand, I get to write again. YAY!

Sorry this one sucked. I need to get back in the groove of things.


End file.
